We’ve all had those times when our garden has simply exploded with zucchini — and not the cute little footlong zucchini, but the monster size.

What to do with it all?

Mom used to grate it (skin and all), and freeze it or use it fresh in zucchini bread. She also made a chocolate zucchini cake, which was surprisingly good. It was a favorite to take to potlucks or summer days at the lake.

Another favorite way to use zucchini was to slice it in rounds, and treat it like pasta — cover the rounds with spaghetti sauce, Italian seasoning and shredded mozzarella, and bake in the oven. Cut into cubes, zucchini is great in a stir-fry or added to a salad. Recently, I added it to a BLT salad.

Zucchini’s mild profile enhances the flavors of what you’re adding it to, and that makes it versatile as a hearty main course, easy side dish or favorite baked dessert.

Zucchini, a vegetable from the summer squash family, is surprisingly healthy for several reasons. It provides carotenoids — lutein and zeaxanthin — which are antioxidants that protect our eyes. Zucchini is also rich in the antioxidant vitamins A and C, required for proper immune function. And apart from being delicious, zucchini is naturally high in potassium and low in sodium. A diet high in potassium-rich plant foods like zucchini can help to maintain a lower blood pressure, thereby reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. And it only has 30 calories per half cup, making it helpful in weight loss efforts.

What else to try? Add zucchini to a breakfast skillet, make blueberry zucchini muffins, try a Greek zucchini salad, or serve zucchini fries. (Bake in the oven with Parmesan and Italian breadcrumbs or use your air fryer to make zucchini chips). And for the tried and true, try my mom’s chocolate zucchini cake.

Mom’s Chocolate Zucchini Cake

1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup cocoa
2½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups grated zucchini
½ cup milk
1 cup pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour an angel food or Bundt pan.

Mix the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.

With a mixer, beat together the oil, sugar and eggs, adding the eggs one at a time and beating after each addition. Mix in the vanilla and grated zucchini. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk. Then add the nuts. Pour mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for an hour. Wait until cool to invert on a plate.

Air Fryer Zucchini Chips

2 zucchini (medium-size)
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk

½ cup breadcrumbs, Italian seasoned
⅓ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Salt and pepper to taste
Nonstick cooking spray

Cut zucchini into ¼-inch slices, discarding the ends (thinner slices work best). In a bowl, whisk together the egg and the milk. Combine well. In a second bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Combine well.

Dip one zucchini slice in the egg mixture, letting any excess drip off. Then in the second bowl, dip the slice in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing firmly to get the coating to stick.

Place half the coated zucchini in a single layer in a 6-quart air fryer basket. Spray with nonstick cooking spray. Air-fry at 400 degrees for eight to 10 minutes. Flip the zucchini halfway through cooking. Repeat with the remaining slices. Serve with marinara sauce or ranch dressing. Serves 6. Recipe adapted from evolvingtable.com.