Zucchinis, Zucchinis, Zucchinis!

It's that time of year when you have more zucchini then you may know what to do with. With all of the rain we have been receiving this summer, the zucchini crop has been plentiful.

Here are some fun facts about zucchini that you may not have know before:

1. You can eat the flowers of the zucchini plant. They are delicious floured and stuffed with ricotta cheese.

2. A zucchini only has 25 kcals. With such a high water content it makes a great low calorie food choice.

3. The nutrients found in zucchinis help to prevent cancer and heart disease.

4. A zucchini has more potassium than a banana

5.The word "zucchini" comes from the Italian word "zucca" which means squash.

6. Bigger is not better. Pick zucchini when they are small to medium in size, around 8 inches in length. The flavor and texture are at their best at this size.

7. The worlds largest zucchini on record measured 69 1/2 inches in length and weighed 65 pounds. It was grown by Bernard Lavery, a resident of the UK.

8. Obetz Ohio actually holds a 3 day zucchini festival each year and features everything zucchini! Check out their website for more information. http://www.obetzzucchini.com/

Now if your kitchen counter is overrun with fresh squash it is time to get cooking! Here is a recipe you may enjoy.

Zucchini Custard Bake

4 Tablespoons of butter, melted

2 pounds of zucchini, cut into small pieces

3 eggs

1/2 cup undiluted evaporated milk or light cream

2 Tablespoons of fine bread crumbs

1/2 cup diced onion

t teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 dash of hot pepper sauce

1 teaspoon of salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2.In a large skillet with a tight fitting lid, melt butter and add zucchini. Place lid on top of the pan and cook for for about 5-7 minutes over low to medium heat.

3. Remove pan from heat and allow squash to cool a few minutes to keep the eggs from cooking to fast when added to the pan.

4. Beat eggs with milk. Add bread crumbs, and remaining ingredients minus all but 2 Tablespoons of the parmesan cheese. Mix well.

5. Add cooled zucchini to the seasoning mixture.

6. In a 1/2 quart buttered baking dish, pour the zucchini mixture. Sprinkle the top of casserole with the remaining parmesan cheese.

7. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes uncovered.

You can't Beet 'um!

Red beets were a vegetable of my childhood. I remember my mother eating themwhen I was a young girl. She was always anemic and she believed that they were high in iron. She seemed to think there was a correlation between the redness of the beet and healthy blood. She is not the only person who erroneously believes that. While not a good source of iron, red beets are extremely healthy for you. Two Red beets measuring 2 inches in diameter, are an excellent source of potassium (305 mg), 2 g of fiber, 80 ug of folate and are only 44 kcal per serving.

Beet greens are great for you as well! Beet greens can be prepared the same as you would cook spinach. Just a half of a cup of beet greens will provide you with 367 (RE)vitamin A, 82 mg calcium, 654 mg potassium, and only 19 Kcal.

So why not buy some fresh red beets this summer and give them a try, leaves and all.

Orange Baked Red Beets

Ingredients:

8 to 10 small beets

grated rind of 1/2 an orange

juice of 1 orange, unstrained

1 scant teaspoon salt

2 Tbsp butter

1/3 hot water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pare raw beets ans slice very thin slices into a greased baking dish. Stir remaining ingredients together until mixted well and pour over beets. Cover tightly and bake one hour or until beets are tender. Serve hot from baking dish with your main meal.

Serves 6

Note to the cook- this method preserves all the minerals and vitamins of the delicious beet.

It's hard to be green!

There are green beans growing by leaps and bounds in my community garden. It is a great problem to have. They are a wonderful vegetables in many ways-low in calories, rich in nutrients and everyone in the family likes them! Just 1/2 cup of Green beans will give you 22 calories, 2 grams of fiber, 185 g of potasium, 41 re (retinol equivalent) and 21 ug of folate.

Green beans are also very versitile. Some ingredients that compliment them well are garlic, tarragon, marjoram, thyme, dill, orange, lemon, olive oil, tomatoes and nuts.

Tired of green bean casserole? Why not give this recipe a try. Enjoy!

Oriental Green Beans

1 pound fresh green beans, cleaned, ends snipped off and string removed
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tablespoons canola oil
¼ cup soy sauce, preferably low sodium style
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Instructions:

1. Clean the green beans by removing ends and string.
2. Place green beans in skillet with a small of amount of water and steam for about 5-8 minutes just until tender
3. Drain green beans. In skillet add oil, green beans and garlic. Sauté for 3-4 minutes.
4. Add soy sauce and sesame seeds and heat through. Serve

Summer time is fish eating time!

Summer time seems to be the time of year when I tend to eat more fish. Perhaps it's because of our travels to the sea. Whatever the reason, eating fish is a good thing. Fish is nutritionaly a wonderful food source. High in protein and omega 3's and low in fat and calories, fish is a perfect food to include regularly in your diet.

When selecting fish be aware that some varieties can be high in mercury. Large consumption of fish which are high in mercury can be undesirable to our own health, particularly if you are pregnant or wanting to become pregnant. Excessive amounts of mercury can cause brain and kidney damage, particularly in unborn babies and children under the age of 6, since small amounts of mercury can damage developing nervous systems.

Not all fish have a high build up of mercury, it depends on what the fish eats, their size and age. The fish most at risk for containing high levels of mercury include shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish. Their levels tend to be higher because they tend to live longer than other fish.. Your best choice of fish lowest in mercury include: shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock, and catfish. A diet including up to 12 ounces a week of fish is acceptable. The FDA has stated that the benefits of eating fish far out way the risks. So include fish weekly to your diet.

For more information on fish and mercury levels visit the following websites:

www.epa.gov/waterscience/fish

http://www.maine.gov/DHHS/eohp/fish/hgposter.htm

Try this recipe:

Tuna Quesadillas

Ingredients:

1 can drained tuna fish, packed in water

1 Tablespoon mayonnaise, light

4 flour tortillas

1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese, lowfat


Instructions:

1. Mix tuna with mayonnaise.

Microwave:

1. Spoon filing onto half of each tortilla.

Top filling with cheese and fold tortilla in half.

Microwave on high for 60 seconds. Turn the plate halfway through cooking time.

Stove:

1. Divide mixture onto two tortillas. Top with cheese and the remaining two tortillas.

Spray a skillet with non-stick cooking spray.

Brown quesadillas on both sides.

2. Cut in half before serving.

Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe

Yield: 4 servings

Kcal 180 per serving

Fat 5 grams

Garlic Scapes

I am always delighted when I learn something new! This week, in my CSA box, I received Garlic scapes. I pulled them out of my box and had no idea what they were. But I soon discovered what a wonderful treat I just received!

Garlic scapes(also known as green garlic) are the immature seed heads and stalks which are trimmed from the growing garlic bulb in June to give the bulb more energy to grow. Hard-neck garlic varieties send up a scape or flower stem, that should be picked before it opens and flowers. Garlic scapes can be used for early tastes of garlic without sacrificing the bulb.

Storage: place scapes in a plastic bag and refrigerate. Garlic scapes can be used in place of garlic .

Taste: milder than the actual bulb and the taste diminishes quicker than the bulb.

So if you have a digestive problem with garlic, but love the flavor try garlic scapes instead.

Check with your farmers market for garlic scapes. Better yet, grow your own!

Rainy Day Blues

Have you had enough of this rain? Let me help lift your spirits by suggesting this delicious Blueberry smoothie. Blueberries are just coming into season now, as well as some southern grown peaches so enjoy them while that are the peak of season.

Rainy Day Blues

1 cup blueberry juice blend or red colored Juicy Juice

1/2 cup frozen non-fat yogurt

1 cup drained canned peaches (or this time of year use fresh! 2 peaches should work nicely)

1 cup fresh blueberies

Pour blueberry juice into the blender and add yogurt, peaches, and blueberries. Blend at high speed until smooth. Enjoy!

Makes 3 servings

Snap Peas

I joined a CSA this year and I can't tell you how excited I am each week to see what comes in our box. There has been lots of lettuce and spinach so far. But last week we received snap peas. I just love that fresh, crisp vegetable.

I planted some snap peas just outside my garage and it has provided me with a pre-dinner snack each night as I walk to the mail box. What fun!

Give this recipe a try. You will enjoy it!

Sugar Snap Peas with toasted sesame Seeds

Makes 5 servings
Ingredients:
· 4 cups sugar snap peas
· 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (toasted in a skillet until golden brown)
· 1 tablespoon sesame oil

Instructions:
1. "De-string" by pulling the remaining step away from the pea
2. Cook the peas in boiling water for no more than three minutes
3. Drain and plunge them into a big bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and prevent the peas from being mushy
4. When cool, drain the peas and mix with the sesame seeds and sesame oil in a bowl

Nutrition Information: 118 calories, 4.5 grams total fat, 15.5 grams carbohydrate, 4.9 gram protein, 4.7 grams fiber, 142 milligrams sodium, 0 milligrams cholesterol

Recipe is modified from the Kaiser Permanente website.