Frozen Yogurt Dessert

This is a healthy but sweet treat, simple to make and pretty, too.  Don't confuse it with the frozen yogurt you get in stores, though, as this has a completely different texture.
It's really simple:  mix about a cup of plain Greek yogurt in a bowl with fruit (I used mango this time), drizzle in a couple of teaspoons of agave nectar or honey, then mix with an immersion blender until smooth.  Freeze for about 2 - 2 1/2 hours in a serving dish.  If you leave it in too long it will begin to form ice crystals.  It should have the consistency of a very cold custard.  To balance the tangy taste from the yogurt, drizzle a little honey on top before serving, and garnish with sliced strawberry, banana, or a sprig of mint. 

Zucchini "Hash"

This one is ridiculously simple.  My zucchini is starting to grow fast and furious, so since I am using it as a side dish almost every day, I am trying to find a variety of ways to use it.  I made this "hash", for lack of a better description, on a very hot day when I didn't want to spend too much time in the kitchen!

I diced up one medium-sized zucchini, and a nice red pepper, also from my garden.  (Although I tried to make them all the same size, I am not so good at precision with anything!)  I also sliced about two scallions, tossed it all in a skillet with some olive oil, salt and pepper,  and sauteed for a few minutes, until just tender. I also happened to have a few little spicy Thai red peppers which I also grew, and I chopped those and added them as well, but of course the heat isn't for everybody.

At the very end of cooking I added some chopped fresh herbs.  This time I chose some oregano, parsley and chives (which, of course, are growing nicely in my garden!) Like I always say, different herbs give a dish a different personality.  Next time I may opt for basil, thyme or rosemary. (Also growing out in the yard....just saying!)

My point in sharing such a simple recipe is that when it is hot, or you are tired or pressed for time, it is not so difficult to incorporate a healthy vegetable dish into your meal, and it can be done in less than the time it takes to grill the chicken or meat.  The star of this side dish was the zucchini, since I have an abundance of it, but any other vegetable/herb combination would have been just as good as the ones I chose.  Tomatoes, green peppers, onions, a handful of greens....any or all would have paired just as well with the squash.  Just be sure to season well, and take advantage of the fresh herbs available seasonally!

Garden Pasta

This is a healthy and summery dinner that is simple and quick to prepare.  I slice some garlic and dice an onion and saute in a skillet with a bit of olive oil.  When they are soft, I add halved cherry or grape tomatoes.  After the tomatoes start to break down, I pour in about 1/2 cup of white wine and cook it down until the tomatoes and wine form a sauce.  Finally, when all the alcohol is cooked off, I add a few handfuls of spinach.(Remember to season with salt and pepper as you introduce new ingredients.)  Just stir over low heat until the spinach starts to wilt.

I have always served this over whole wheat spaghetti, topped with chopped fresh basil, grated cheese and fresh ground pepper.  Tonight, however, I used "zucchini fettuccini noodles" in place of the pasta.  I simply used a vegetable peeler to cut the zucchini into "ribbons".  When the rest of the recipe was done, I just threw the zukes in and stirred until they were warm.  They don't require much cooking time. I have used these fake noodles before, and have enjoyed the results.  I usually just soften a sliced garlic clove in a little olive oil, then add the zucchini ribbons, salt and pepper and stir for about a minute or two.  I top them with some fresh chopped herbs and grated cheese and it is a quick, delicious side dish.  It really does remind me a little bit of fettuccini!

For some variation on the Garden Pasta, you can add shrimp to the mix between the tomatoes and the wine.  If you wanted to use some bite-sized pieces of chicken tenders, I would suggest browning them first, then adding the other ingredients, giving them plenty of time to cook.  As always, you can add any other vegetable you have on hand to vary this recipe.  It always turns out to be a fresh-tasting, light meal.

Fried Green Tomatillos

Last weekend I had picked up a bunch of tomatillos, not really sure what I was going to do with them. I didn't get around to making salsa verde, so I thought I would try something new instead.  I sliced them into 1/2 inch rounds, then breaded them.  Since tomatillos have a tangy, almost lemony taste, I tried to offset it by adding some spice to the breading.  I mixed cornmeal with a generous amount of chili powder, cayenne pepper and salt.  First I dipped the sliced tomatillos in the breading, then in an egg bath, then in the breading again.  Finally, I heated some olive oil in a skillet and sauteed until brown and crispy. For a dippping sauce I mixed a little mayo with dijon mustard, hot sauce and a splash of lemon juice to pick up the tanginess of the tomatillos.  They were actually quite tasty, but not as spicy as I had hoped.  They had a little bit of a kick, but next time I may add hot sauce to the egg bath in addition to the cayenne in the coating. In fact, I may skip the egg altogether and dip them in buttermilk and hot sauce for a thicker, crunchier coating.

Since my little tomatillo plants in my garden are starting to flower, I am glad to now have three different ways to use them when I harvest my crop!

Although they are fried, I only used a few tablespoons of olive oil, much of which I discarded afterwards. I was watching a cooking show the other day, and the restaurant they were featuring insisted on calling their fried food "deep sauteed".  I thought that was pretty funny.  I could call myself a size 4, but that doesn't mean I am squeezing myself into anything that small!