Baked Zucchini Corn Poppers

Ingredients

• 2 cups shredded zucchini (wrung very well in a cheese cloth or dish towel)
• 2 cups corn (fresh, grilled, or frozen and thawed such as fire-roasted corn)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or vegan cheese if desired)
• 1/4 cup chives (minced)
• 1/4 cup cilantro (finely minced)
• 2 cloves garlic (finely minced)
• 1 serrano chile (finely minced (seed it and/or use a jalapeno pepper for less spiciness))
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (regular may be substituted)
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)
• 1 large egg (or use flax egg which is 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed meal + 3 tablespoons hot water for vegan option)
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour (or use brown rice flour or a 1:1 gluten-free flour to keep GF)
• 1/4 cup cornmeal

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 425F and either spray a baking sheet with cooking spray or line with parchment paper and spray the parchment paper; set aside.

2. 2

   Grate the zucchini on the coarsest blade of a handheld box grater. Wring it out very well in a cheesecloth or dish towel. Tips - Paper towels not advised for wringing as they shred and disintegrate. The zucchini should be very dry.

3. 3

   Combine: To a large bowl, add the zucchini, corn (if using frozen corn, make sure it has thawed and is drained well), cheese (I like Violife as a vegan cheese option), chives, cilantro, garlic, serrano or jalapeno, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and stir to mix and combine well.

4. 4

   Stir: Add the egg, flour, cornmeal, and stir to incorporate.

5. 5

   Portion: Using a large cookie scoop, form approximately 18 popper-sized balls. Squeeze and rolls the balls tightly in your palms to make sure they are tightly formed. Tip - If the mixture is too dry and not coming together or the poppers aren't holding their shape, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until the desired consistency is reached.

6. 6

   Place the poppers on the prepared baking sheet, evenly spaced and not touching.

7. 7

   Bake* (See Notes) for about 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly golden browned and crisped on the outside. If desired, carefully flip each ball over midway through cooking, although this isn't absolutely essential but will provide more even cooking.

8. 8

   Prepare: While the poppers bake, prepare the dipping sauce if desired. (See Notes)

9. 9

   Serve: After baking, allow the poppers to cool for about 5 minutes on the baking sheet before serving. Poppers are best warm and fresh but will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days.