Nurturing my inner... even better

When I saw this recipe recently in Food Network magazine, I knew I had to make it.  I'm not one to gravitate toward fried foods, in fact I don't believe I've ever put  1/8th inch of oil in a pan and fried anything ever, however, these ingredients beckoned me to make an exception.  I believe in being as healthy as possible most of the time and allowing myself some wonderful exceptions.  (I am a foodie after all.)

While I was going over this recipe in my head at the grocery store, I decided to add a little something more to it!  (One cannot halt creativity when it's blazing a hundred miles an hour.)  I am certain Food Network would be proud of my addition.  (Maybe I should send my recipe on to them!)

Food Network's Zucchini-Corn Fritters.  So go there for the recipe.  They get all the credit.  But here is how I prepped some things per their instructions.

Never grated zucchini before. Fun! I'd
do it again.

It looks like grated potato, if you need reference.  Only, it's full of water.  And that's gotta go before frying.  Oil and water do NOT get along.  (You know the saying.)

Too moist in its current state for frying.

So after the grated zucchini sat with a sprinkle of salt for 10 minutes or so to draw out the moisture (and I ran back to the grocery store because I forgot the buttermilk!), I put it in a dish towel and squeezed out the water.  (Weird, but effective!)  No lie, from one large zucchini I measured 1/2 cup of zucchini water!

No, this is not a picture of a swamp. I wonder
if this could be considered juicing and
drinkable. (I didn't even try.)

After I did the squeeze-through-a-clean-dish-towel trickaroo, the zucchini was a lot dryer.

Fully prepped! Now ready to be used.

I substituted shallots for onion, because I like them better, and put that in the pan with the garlic and fresh corn.  Then I sauteed that until slightly toasted and the corn was cooked.  Maybe four minutes.

Fresh corn is ample this time of year. I got
mine at the Farmers Market.

I mixed up the batter like they said (I'm a good little follower), then added in the corn mixture and the zucchini and incorporated with my whisk.  I dropped the batter by scant 1/4 cupfuls into the pan of hot veggie oil and fried for a few minutes on each side until browned.  I flipped them twice to make sure they were fully cooked through.

Thanks Food Network! Hello deliciousness.

Onto a paper towel they went to absorb excess oil and salted right away while piping hot.  That was the end of it.  Well, their end of it.  Now it's time for me!  (How narcissistic.)  Here we go with what put this fritter over the top!  My special love.  It's crazy good.

Avocado, Sour Cream & Lime Sauce

4 oz sour cream
1/2 avocado
1/2 fresh lime, squeezed
Dash of smoked paprika

I thought of this in the middle of the night. (No, I'm not kidding. This is what I do when I have insomnia.  Random creative spurts.)

What's not to love?

Into my little food processor I put in the avocado, sour cream and lime juice.

And blend away. A one button wonder tool.

Fritters down on the plate and a dollop of light green cream sauce on top.  Finished with a dash of smoked paprika (yes, get the smoked kind if you can!) and get ready for awesomeness.

Too good to be true. Yet there it is!

This just came to me as well.  (Today must be good idea day!)  I picked up some mango juice in a carton and always find a way to dilute juice so it's not as thick and also has less calories.  I filled a glass halfway with ice, then halfway with mango juice and the rest of the way with lime Perrier sparkling water.  Finished it off with a squeeze of fresh lime juice.  Well, almost finished.  (This appears to be a theme for me.)  That's the non-alcoholic version, so you could stop there.  Seeing as I thought I might like a cocktail with dinner, I didn't stop there.  I added a splash of Malibu rum and the coconut flavor worked so well with the mango and lime, I wouldn't want to skip it.  You may want to give it a shot.  (I mean, a try.  Poor word choice.)

Welcome to de tropics, mon! (Yet I never
left the suburbs.)

No need to come up with my own recipe every day.  It's fun to have the freedom to follow a well tested recipe someone else has had to work to perfect before it got to me.  (Less work for me!)  I bet the Food Network people make other chef's recipes plenty of the time.  I mean, hello, the fritters were wonderful as is.  Why mess with them.  But I like that I can contribute my own personal spin on it by adding the avocado cream sauce.  It's what makes it special to me and sends it into outer space!

Elegant food, but made in a down home way.
(What is my work laptop power cord doing in
the corner of the picture. Talk about casual.)

Best part about the meal?  After having run 7.5 miles this morning, I ate it absolutely guilt free!