Rae Udy

RECIPES: Summer Squash and Tomato Pie, Grilled Summer Veggies

By Rae Udy

Summer squash is a member of the gourd family of melons and cucumbers. Zucchini, yellow crookneck and patty pan are the most common varieties. They each have a different shape, color and flavor but share many nutritional characteristics.
Summer squash contain very few calories, about 30 per cup, and they are an excellent source of manganese and vitamin C. Just one cup of summer squash provides 17 percent of your daily requirement of vitamin C and 19 percent for manganese.
These nutritious vegetables are also a very good source of vitamin A, fiber and magnesium by providing 10 percent of your daily requirement for each. With just a trace of fat these delicious veggies are also a good source of dairy-free calcium.
Select summer squash with a bright color and a firm texture. Unlike its cousin winter squash, summer squash cannot be stored for long periods of time. Keep fresh in a plastic bag for about five days and wash just before using to prevent vegetables from getting soggy. The thin, tender skins do not need peeling and add beautiful color to the healthy diet.
Source: http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=62

SUMMER SQUASH AND TOMATO PIE
2 large tomatoes
1 large zucchini
1 large summer yellow squash
1 large potato, peeled
¼ (one-quarter) cup chopped onion
1 cup shredded low-fat Swiss cheese, divided
½ (one-half) teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
¼ (one-quarter) teaspoon ground black pepper
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 9-inch pie plate or shallow casserole. Remove stem ends from tomatoes and thinly slice crosswise. Cut zucchini, summer squash and potato into thin slices. In a large bowl, combine zucchini, summer squash, potato, onion, ¾ (three-quarter) cup of the Swiss cheese, eggs, salt, Italian seasoning and pepper until well mixed. Arrange half of the tomato slices on bottom of pie plate. Evenly spoon vegetable mixture over tomatoes, pressing slightly to flatten. Arrange remaining tomato slices on top and sprinkle with remaining ¼ (one-quarter) cup cheese. Bake until vegetables are tender and cheese melts, about 30 minutes. Yields four servings for main dish or six for side dish.

GRILLED SUMMER VEGGIES
½ (one-half) cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup olive oil
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
2 large zucchini squash
1 large yellow squash
6 medium patty pan squash
1 medium eggplant
1 large red onion
2 large tomatoes
Combine all ingredients for marinade and set aside while preparing vegetables. Cutoff tips of zucchini and yellow squash and slice into three-quarter to one inch rounds. Trim ends of patty pan squash and slice in half through the middle. Slice ends off of eggplant and cut in half lengthwise. Do not peel eggplant. Slice each half into three-quarter inch pieces. Peel red onion and slice into thick three-quarter inch rounds but do not separate into rounds. Place all vegetables in a large shallow container and pour marinade over veggies. Marinate for 30 minutes. Line a small cookie sheet with foil and arrange slightly drained vegetables on top. Cook on a hot grill for 2-3 minutes on each side. Yields four to six servings.