Smoky Bacon Zucchini Fritters

<article> <section> <p align="justify">What’s better than a wholesome, healthy vegetable dish? A wholesome, healthy vegetable dish fried in bacon fat and loaded with smoky bacon flavor in every bite! Whether you’re looking for a fun side for your steak or a main dish to pair with a fresh salad—these fritters will fit the bill. </p> <header>Flax: A Heart-Health Hero</header> <p align="justify">Ground flax meal makes for a perfect binding ingredient here. With its slightly nutty flavor, it enhances the savory, smoky goodness of bacon. Plus, flax seeds are high in both heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids and lignans. Lignans are plant-based antioxidants that help combat free radicals and support cardiovascular health. Make sure to use ground or milled flax meal, not whole flax seeds. Milling the flax finer not only helps it bind your fritter, it also releases more of the antioxidant power of these potent little seeds.</p> <header>Burn Fat with Smoky Cumin</header> <p align="justify">Earthy, spicy cumin offers health benefits as well as great flavor. It aids digestion and has been shown to improve bile production; making it easier for your body to break down fat and helping you lose weight.</p> <p align="justify">Grab your food processor or trusty box grater and let’s get cooking!</p> </section> <hr class="divider-15 divider-thick mx-auto"> <section class="recipe"> <header itemprop="name">Smoky Bacon Zucchini Fritters</header> <div class="prep"> <span> <meta itemprop="prepTime" content="PT15M">Prep Time: 35 minutes</span> <span> <meta itemprop="cookTime" content="PT35M">Cooking Time: 10 minutes</span> <span> <meta itemprop="recipeYield">Serves: 4</span> </div> <div class="sub-head">Ingredients:</div> <ul class="ingredients no-bullet"> <li itemprop="recipeIngredient">2-3 medium zucchini, shredded (about 4 cups) <li itemprop="recipeIngredient">3/4 teaspoon salt <li itemprop="recipeIngredient">6 slices hickory smoked bacon, diced (make sure to get a sugar-free variety) <li itemprop="recipeIngredient">3 Tablespoons ground flax meal</li> <li itemprop="recipeIngredient">2 Tablespoons almond flour</li> <li itemprop="recipeIngredient">2 Tablespoons mayonnaise</li> <li itemprop="recipeIngredient">½ teaspoon onion powder</li> <li itemprop="recipeIngredient">½ teaspoon smoked paprika</li> <li itemprop="recipeIngredient">½ teaspoon ground cumin</li> <li itemprop="recipeIngredient">1 clove garlic, crushed or minced</li> <li itemprop="recipeIngredient">¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg</li> <li itemprop="recipeIngredient">Salt and pepper to taste</li> <li itemprop="recipeIngredient">Oil for cooking</li> </ul> <hr class="divider-50 divider-medium"> <div class="sub-head">Instructions:</div> <ol itemprop="recipeInstructions"> <li><p align="justify">Start by “purging” the zucchini of excess water to make sure your fritters don’t get soggy.</p></li> <li><p align="justify">Put the shredded zucchini in a colander, either in the sink or over a bowl. Sprinkle with ¾ teaspoon salt and toss to thoroughly coat. Let the zucchini sit for at least 20 minutes, allowing the excess moisture to drip out.</p></li> <li><p align="justify">After 20 minutes, rinse the zucchini well to remove the excess salt. Place the zucchini in a cheese cloth, clean tea towel, or between several layers of paper towel. Squeeze gently but firmly to wring out any extra liquid. Keep squeezing—the drier you can get it, the crispier your fritters will be. Your zucchini will clump together somewhat, but that’s fine; we’re making fritters anyway!</p></li> <li><p align="justify">Put a small amount of oil in a large skillet to help the bacon fat render out and the bacon to become even crispier. Sauté the diced bacon over medium-high heat until crispy, about 5-7 minutes. Reserve the bacon grease for cooking the fritters.</p></li> <li><p align="justify">While the bacon is cooking, prepare the fritters. In a medium bowl, mix together the zucchini shreds, ground flax meal, almond flour, mayonnaise, onion powder, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic, and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine well, then mix in the crispy bacon crumbles.</p></li> <li><p align="justify">Heat the same skillet you used to fry the bacon over medium heat. Add about 1 tablespoon of the reserved bacon fat back to the pan.</p></li> <li><p align="justify">Form the fritters. Scoop about 2-3 tablespoons of the zucchini mixture into the hot pan, then press down with the back of a spatula to flatten into a pancake about 1/2” thick. Repeat 3 times, for a total of 4 fritters in the pan, being sure not to crowd the pan.</p></li> <li><p align="justify">Sauté the fritters until golden brown on the bottom, about 2-3 minutes.</p></li> <li><p align="justify">Flip, then sauté until the second side is also golden brown and crisp, another 2-3 minutes.</p></li> <li><p align="justify">Remove the fritters and place on a wire rack while cooking the next batch.</p></li> <li><p align="justify">Add another tablespoon of reserved bacon fat to the pan and bring back up to medium heat. Then repeat the process, adding and flattening zucchini mixture and cooking until golden brown. </p></li> <li><p align="justify">Continue this process until you’ve cooked all the zucchini mixture; you should have about 16 fritters.</p></li> <li><p align="justify">Serve with sour cream or keto-friendly dipping sauce and sprinkle with more bacon or green onions if desired.</p></li> </ol> </section> </article>