Lately I have had an over abundance of fresh summer veggies from friends growing gardens, especially zucchini.

Some ways in which I use up my zucchini is by pickling, frying, and sautéeing, but wanted to show you all that you can use your fresh summer veggies in just about any dish you make! Try using ribbons to make lasagna noodles, or your lettuce as burger buns.

Recently I made a beautiful zucchini pizza to use up some fresh produce, but this would be amazing on flatbread or a piece of naan. (Flatbreads scream summer to me).

To make my white zucchini pizza you will need 2 tablespoons olive oil, 3 cups part skim ricotta cheese, 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, 1/2 yellow or red onion sliced, 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, 3 cups sliced zucchini, 6 oz goat cheese, and a pizza crust of your choice (I chose a cauliflower crust).

I love to get my toppings ready and prepped before I assemble my pizza. I started with sautéing some sliced white onions in a pan with some olive oil, about 5-10 minutes until they are nice and caramelized and begin to taste sweet.

Next, turn on the oven to 475. I whisked the ricotta, basil, lemon juice and basil together in a medium bowl and add salt and pepper to taste. Spread the ricotta mixture onto the pre-made dough, then top with onions, zucchini and finish by crumbling goat cheese (roasted cherry tomatoes would be amazing on this, and anything else fresh from your garden, like sautéed greens!) Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until your toppings are browned and remove from the oven.

To tie in the flavors of the basil, I made a beautiful rum cocktail featuring just that! I love placing fresh herbs like lavender, mint, and basil into cocktails. It's just another way to utilize my garden! Happy harvesting.

Claire Stabbert is an accomplished cook who loves to try new recipes. While she does enjoy eating at restaurants, she also loves to whip up a good meal at home. Claire gets some of her cooking inspiration from her grandfather and grandmother, Fred and Shirley Stabbert as well as Great Grandma Nellie.