More great uses for summer produce

Although you can make these stuffed peppers any time of year, they're best when corn, zucchini and the other fine ingredients are fresh from your local growers.

(Served with seared red snapper and sauteed spinach)

Recipe: Peppers Stuffed with Zucchini and Corn

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 large red or yellow bell peppers

2 T olive oil

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

3 cups chopped zucchini

1 ½ cups corn kernels

Salt and pepper to taste

1/3 cup grated cheese, such as Monterey Jack or mozzarella

¼ cups chopped cilantro or basil

Instructions:

Preheat over to 450 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Halve peppers lengthwise, leaving stems intact, and carefully remove seeds and ribs. Place peppers, cut side down, on the baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

Reduce oven to 375 degrees. Coat a rimmed baking sheet or baking dish with cooking spray.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, to soften, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and jalapeno and cook for another minute. Stir in zucchini, corn and seasonings. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Let cool slightly and then stir in cheese and cilantro or basil.

Divide mixture among pepper halves. Place in prepared baking sheet or dish.

Add a couple tablespoons of water to the baking dish, cover with foil and bake peppers for about 15 minutes, until heated through. Uncover and bake for 5 minutes longer to allow top to brown a bit.

Springtime Ravioli; Salmon burgers w/ roasted veggies

Two recent dinners: Ravioli with Asparagus, Zucchini and Pesto; Salmon Burgers with Roasted Fennel, Beets, Sweet Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts.

These were easy fixes, thanks to the ready-made ravioli (from Trader Joe's, arugula and Parmesan) and pre-made salmon burgers (from Whole Foods, on sale recently--stocked up and put them in the freezer).

For the Ravioli Sauce: 1/2 pound asparagus spears, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise and then into half-moon slices
Canola oil for sauteeing
2 cloves minced garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup prepared pesto
1/2 cup cooking water from the ravioli

For the roasted veggies (with salmon burger):
1 sweet potato, peeled (if desired) and cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 fennel bulb, sliced
2 cups brussels sprouts, cut in half
1 beet, peeled and cut into bite-size chunks
Toss in 2 T canola or olive oil, add salt and pepper, roast in 375-degree oven until all veggies are tender, about 30 minutes.

Tomato season, Part 3: Roasted with fennel and mixed with white beans

Here's a one-dish dinner -- we had it with the zucchini salad at right and toasted Italian bread -- that uses farm-fresh cherry tomatoes and delicious fennel (a.k. a. anise). Near the end, add a can of drained and rinsed white beans. I adapted the recipe from a recent issue of Bon Appetit. For wine, we opened a bottle of Sicilian red, a fruit-forward wine called Pinocchio (like the puppet).

Recipe: Roasted Tomatoes with Fennel and White Beans (Serves 2, can easily be doubled)
Ingredients:
1 large fennel bulb, trimmed, cut in half vertically and sliced into 1/2-inch wedges
3 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 pint cherry tomatoes, any color
3 T oregano leaves (or 1 T dried oregano)
3 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
Dash of crushed red pepper
1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
2 T chopped fennel fronds
Salt, if needed

Instructions:
Heat oil in a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. When pan is hot, add fennel wedges and cook until fennel browns on one side. Turn carefully with tongs and brown the other side.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Stir in tomatoes, garlic, oregano and red pepper; add a little salt, if desired.
Place pan in oven and roast until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 15-20 minutes. Remove pan carefully, stir in beans and half the fennel fronds and return pan to oven to let the beans heat. (That should only be another 5 minutes or so.)
Take pan out of the oven and transfer contents to a large serving bowl, sprinkling remaining fennel fronds over the top.
The dish can be served warm or at room temperature.

Tomato season joys, Part 2: In a salad with avocado dressing

I had a very ripe avocado -- too ripe to toss cubes in a salad -- and thus I mashed it into an impromptu "green goddess" dressing to drizzle over slices of farm-fresh tomatoes, lemon cucumber (but any cuke will do) and a few spinach leaves.

Recipe: Tomato and Cucumber Salad with Avocado Dressing Serves 2

For the dressing:
1/2 very ripe avocado, peeled
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup half-and-half (I use fat-free)
Juice of 1/2 lime (tip: heat in microwave for 10-15 seconds to extract more juice)
2 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 T chopped fresh tarragon, or 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
Salt and pepper

In a small bowl, mash the avocado with a spoon until it's fairly smooth. Stir in next 4 ingredients (yogurt through oil) and mix well, using a whisk or a spoon.
Stir in tarragon, salt and pepper

For the salad:
1 large, ripe tomato, cut in half and thinly sliced.
1 medium cucumber, thinly sliced
3 cups baby spinach leaves
4-6 small balls of fresh mozzarella cheese, cut in half if desired

Gently toss tomato, cucumber and spinach in a large bowl and divide into serving bowls. Sprinkle the cheese over each serving and drizzle with the dressing.

Revel in tomato season, Part 1: Pasta w/ fresh tomato sauce

This simple recipe combines sauteed zucchini, bell pepper and garlic with chopped fresh tomatoes (uncooked) and seasonings, tossed with cooked pasta and topped with crumbled cheese.

The pure flavors of the tomatoes -- a combination of red and yellow ones here, but you can use all red or all yellow -- really comes through loud and clear.



Recipe: Bow-tie Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce
(Serves 2)

Ingredients:
2 scant cups bow-tie pasta, cooked according to package directions
2 medium zucchini, cut in half lengthwise then into 1/2-inch slices
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
2-3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
Salt and pepper to taste
4 cups peeled and chopped fresh tomatoes
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock/broth
2 T chopped basil
1 T chopped parsley
1/4 cup goat cheese crumbles

Instructions:
Cook and drain pasta; set aside and keep warm.
In a large skillet, saute zucchini, pepper and garlic on medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes, until zucchini starts to brown. Season with salt and pepper.
Stir in reserved pasta plus the stock or broth. Stir gently until dish is heated through, about 3 minutes, then remove pan from heat.
Add tomatoes and herbs to skillet and stir gently.
Spoon mixture into serving bowls, adjust seasoning as needed, and sprinkle with cheese.
Pass more cheese at table, if desired.
Serve with crusty Italian bread and a green salad.

Wine pairing: A crisp white wine or a dry rose will go great with this dish.

Pasta tonight -- with shrimp and a creamy (but healthy) sauce

Instead of actual cream, this delicious pasta recipe uses plain yogurt to give it a satisfying mouth-feel. With sweet shrimp and array of fresh veggies, the dish is not only tasty but it's also a breeze to pull together.

Recipe: Pasta with Shrimp, Garlic and Veggies
(serves 3-4)

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti
• 12 ounces peeled and deveined raw shrimp, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups nonfat or low-fat plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
  

Instructions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook 2 minutes less than package directions. Add shrimp, asparagus, bell pepper and peas and cook until the pasta is tender and the shrimp are cooked, 2 to 4 minutes more. Drain well.
2. Mash garlic and salt in a large bowl until a paste forms. Whisk in yogurt, parsley, lemon juice, oil and pepper. Add the pasta mixture and toss to coat. Serve sprinkled with pine nuts.
   

Spinach Omelet

Recipe: Spinach Omelet

(Serves 1)

Ingredients:

4 ounces baby spinach, or 1/2 pound bunch spinach, stemmed and cleaned in two rinses of water Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 large or extra-large eggs
2 teaspoons low-fat milk
1 tablespoon chopped chives (optional)
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan

Instructions:

1. Wash the spinach but don’t dry. Heat a large frying pan over high heat, and wilt the spinach in the water left on the leaves after washing. Remove from the heat, rinse briefly with cold water and squeeze dry. Chop medium-fine, season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
2. Break two eggs into a bowl, and beat with a fork or a whisk until frothy. Whisk in the milk, chives (if using), and salt and pepper to taste.
3. Heat an 8-inch nonstick omelet pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. When the oil feels hot as you hold your hand above it, pour in the eggs, scraping every last bit into the pan. Swirl the pan to distribute the eggs evenly over the surface. Shake the pan gently, tilting it with one hand while lifting up the edges of the omelet with a spatula in your other hand. Let the eggs run underneath and set in several thin layers during the first few minutes of cooking. As soon as the eggs are set on the bottom and barely runny on top, sprinkle the Parmesan and then the spinach down the middle of the eggs. Jerk the pan quickly away from you then back toward you so that the omelet folds over onto itself.

If you don’t like your omelet runny in the middle, jerk the pan again so that the omelet folds over once more. Cook for about a minute longer until heated through, shaking the pan gently.
Tilt the pan and roll out onto a plate. Serve hot.

This can be good at breakfast, lunch or dinner, depending on what you serve with it.

From the NY Times health pages.

Summer on a plate

Here's another way to enjoy some of the best crops of summer -- sweet corn, profuse zucchini and local garlic (which, by the way, tastes sooooo much better than supermarket garlic shipped from thousands of miles away).


Recipe: Peppers Stuffed with Corn and Zucchini
Serves 4

Ingredients:
4 large red or yellow bell peppers
2 T olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced (leave seeds in if you want a spicy dish)
3 cups diced zucchini
2 cups corn kernels
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup grates Monterey Jack and/or cheddar cheese, or more to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, thyme or basil (whatever you prefer)

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lightly oil a baking sheet.
2. Halve peppers lengthwise, leaving stems intact. With a paring knife, removed seeds and ribs. Place peppers, cut side down, on the baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes until peppers are just tender. Set aside and reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add onion, zucchini, garlic and jalapeno. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften, about 5-6 minutes. Stir in corn and cook briefly just to heat the corn. Remove from heat and let cool. Add salt, pepper, cheese and herbs.
4. Divide mixture among pepper halves and place back on the baking sheet. Add a couple of tablespoons of water to the pan, cover with foil and bake peppers for about 15 minutes. Uncover and bake for 5 minutes longer. Serve.

Surprise treat at the markets now

You might think of beets as a winter veggie, but perhaps surprisingly, this is the time to find locally grown beets -- both red and golden -- at many farm markets.

This recipe from the New York Times health pages will delight even the non-beet fans. Give it a try!

RECIPE: Beet and Beet Green Gratin

Serves 6

Ingredients:
2 bunches (6 to 8) beets (preferably one red and one golden or chioggia), with the greens (about 2 pounds beets and 3/4 pound greens)
Salt to taste
3 eggs
3/4 cup low-fat milk
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup chopped chives (1 bunch)
2 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated (1/2 cup)
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions:
1. Roast the beets. Remove from the heat and allow to cool, then cut the ends off, slip off the skins and slice across the equator.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil while you stem and wash the greens in two changes of water. Fill a bowl with ice water. When the pot of water comes to a boil, salt generously and blanch the greens for about one minute. (You can also steam the greens until they wilt, one to two minutes). Transfer the greens to the ice water, then drain and squeeze out the water. Chop coarsely.
3. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a medium skillet, and add the garlic. Cook for about 30 seconds, stirring, until fragrant. Stir in the greens. Stir together for a minute, season the greens with salt and pepper, and remove from the heat.
4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Oil a 2-quart gratin or baking dish with olive oil. Beat together eggs, salt (about 1/2 teaspoon), pepper, milk, chives and the Gruyère. Gently stir in the greens and beets. Scrape into the gratin dish. Bake 35 to 40 minutes until set and lightly browned on the top. Allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Serve hot, warm or room temperature.

Killer Brussels Sprouts (really!)

B-sprouts are one of my go-to veggies, and not only because of their healthy profile but also because with the right preparation, they taste great.
For a complete nutritional breakdown detailing the vitamins, antioxidants and dietary fiber that these veggies bring to your table, go here.

You can get Brussels sprouts year-round but they're actually best in fall, winter and early spring -- their peak growing season.

The easiest prep is to trim off the stem ends, slice them in half (or thirds if they are larger than a walnut) and steam until tender. Then toss with a low-fat sauce or dressing of your choice.

The recipe below takes these babies to another level by steaming first and then caramelizing in a frying pan on high heat (top photo) before adding a little pesto (finished product, bottom photo).

Serve as a side dish with fish, poultry or a vegetarian entree.

Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Pesto
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
3 cups fresh Brussels sprouts, trimmed and sliced lengthwise in half
Salt
1-2 T olive oil
2-3 T prepared pesto sauce

Instructions:
Place sprouts in a steamer and set in a saucepan. Add 1/2 cup water, sprinkle with salt and cover the pan. Bring water to a boil, then reduce to low heat and steam until sprouts are just becoming tender. It will take about 4-5 minutes depending on the size of the slices. Test with the point of a knife; when the center of one of the sprouts yields to the knife, they are ready. Be careful not to overcook -- sprouts should still be a bright green color.
Immediately rise the sprouts in cold water to stop the cooking. Drain well.
Heat a nonstick skillet over high heat; add the oil.
Place the sprouts in the pan and cook without stirring for 1-2 minutes, allowing one side of the sprout to turn a golden brown. Turn sprouts with tongs and brown the other side.
Remove from heat and toss with the pesto sauce.
Serve!