Zucchini, Squash & Ricotta Galette

So confession.

I may or may not have been re-living my childhood this past week through countless episodes of Dawson's Creek and re-runs of Pretty Little Liars.  Ohh cheesy teenage dramas, why are you so addicting?  And why are you so much better after a bottle of vino??

I think the appeal of this adolescent TV crack is the fact that they're so completely unrealistic.  I mean when was the last time you saw girls wearing midriff tops, perfectly curled hair and fake eyelashes to high school or spoke to each other using words such as pontificating??  Ok so maybe the midriff tops and fake eyelash part seem to be true today, but no one in my high school was ever that perfect!

And let me just state the obvious, where were all those gorgeous teachers when I was in school??  Le sigh.  Guess I know why I'm so addicted at 28 years old....don't even get me started on my love for Vampire Diaries.

Yes Ian Somerhalder, I will marry you. 

So along with catching up on trashy TV dramas and spending the holiday eating great food with fabulous friends, I decided to make a huge change in my life.  I'll get more into this later, but all I have to say is CLEAN EATING.

A few of my girlfriends started this about 6 months ago and their results have been incredible!!  I'm a very picky eater and I don't believe in fad diets (at all), but I consider this a total lifestyle change.  I just love the concept of it, cutting out all processed foods and filling your body with lean protein, complex carbs and healthy fats.

Yes I did just say "healthy" and "fat" in the same sentence.

I promise to get more into this later, but I'm really excited about starting this new way of eating and can't wait to share with you my results [and recipes]!

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Servings: 12

Serving Size: 1 slice

Calories: 164

Fat: 8.5 g

Carbs: 15.1 g

Fiber: 0.6 g

Protein: 7 g

Old Points: 3.9 pts

Points+: 4 pts

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Here are your ingredients:

Recipe adapted from Naturally Ella 

Crust:

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. salt

8 Tbsp light butter, cold

2 oz. light cream cheese

1/4 cup of ice water, adding an additional tablespoon if necessary

Filling:

1 medium zucchini

1 medium yellow summer squash

1 clove garlic

1 cup ricotta cheese

1 Tbsp honey

1 egg white

1 Tbsp fresh thyme

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Egg wash:

1 egg yolk

1 tsp. water

Topping:

1 Tbsp olive oil

Fresh basil

In a medium bowl, combine flour and salt.  Cut in cold butter until mixture looks course chunks and then cut in cream cheese.  Butter and cream cheese will resemble pea-like chunks in the flour; then mix in 1/4 cup of ice water.  Feel free to add an additional tablespoon of water, if needed.  Shape dough into a disc, cover with plastic wrap in place in the fridge.

While dough is sitting in the fridge you can make your filling.  Slice zucchini and squash, laying out your slices on sheets of paper towels.  Sprinkle a little salt on each piece and sit for 30 minutes, allowing paper towels to soak up the water.  Blot dry after the allotted time has passed and set aside.

For the filling, whisk together ricotta cheese, egg white, garlic, honey, thyme, parmesan and mozzarella cheeses.  Set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Lightly flour your surface and roll out you dough until it is a 12-14 inch circle.  Place rolled out dough on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and spread ricotta mixture over dough, leaving about 2 inches from the edge.  Arrange zucchini and squash over top of the mixture, overlapping as needed and fold over the edges of the pie crust.  You want your pie to look like an even circle.

Whisk together egg yolk and a teaspoon of water and brush mixture over top of the crust.  Drizzle a bit of olive oil on top and place pie in the oven for about 40 to 45 minutes.  Remove from oven and sprinkle fresh basil, if desired.  Enjoy!

Click here for a printable version of this recipe 
 

Isn't that just beautiful??
My boyfriend scarfed it right up!

Probably because he thought it was pizza.