Zucchini season has arrived. There are so many fabulous ways to enjoy this veggie—in bread, crisps, pasta, or even stuffed…I’m getting hungry just thinking about it! Besides tasting delicious, zucchini is packed with vitamin C. Did you know one medium zucchini has more potassium than a banana? Celebrate zucchini in style with 2 of my delicious recipes.


 Zucchini Parmesan Crisps From "The Food You Crave"
These thin zucchini slices are coated in Parmesan cheese and crisped in the oven until they are have the snap of freshly made chips. I bet you can’t eat just one.

Cooking spray
1 pound zucchini (about 2 medium)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup plain dry bread crumbs
1/8 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Slice the zucchini into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. In a medium bowl, toss the zucchini with the oil. In a small bowl, combine the Parmesan, bread crumbs, salt, and a few turns of pepper. Dip each round into the Parmesan mixture, coating it evenly on both sides, and place in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake the zucchini rounds until browned and crisp, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve immediately.


Makes 4 servings
Serving size: 1/2 cup

Per Serving:
Calories 105; Total fat 6g (Sat fat 2g, Mono fat 2g, Poly fat 0g); Protein 5g; Carb 8.5g; Fiber 1.5g; Cholesterol 1mg; Sodium 222mg

Excellent source of: molybdenum, vitamin C
Good source of: calcium, manganese, vitamin B6


 
Penne with Zucchini and Mint From "So Easy"
The bright, clean flavors and simplicity of this dish make it destined for regular rotation at your home as it is in mine. Toasting the garlic in the oil first infuses the dish with deep flavor and the fresh mint adds an unexpected wow factor.

3/4 box (12 ounces) whole-grain penne pasta
1/4 cup olive oil
4 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 medium zucchini (8 ounces each), sliced into 1/4-inch-thick half moons
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (1-1/2 ounces)
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the penne and cook until al dente and according to the directions on the package.

Meanwhile, add the oil and garlic to a large deep skillet and cook over a medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the garlic is lightly golden, about 6  minutes; be careful not to let the garlic burn. Add the zucchini. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the  lemon juice, zest, salt, and pepper.

Drain the pasta, then return it to the pasta pot. Add the zucchini mixture, Parmesan cheese and mint and toss to combine.

Makes 4 servings
Serving size: 2 cups


 
Per Serving:
Calories 530; Total Fat 21 g (Sat Fat 4 g, Mono Fat 10 g, Poly Fat 2 g); Protein 18 g;
Carb 70 g; Fiber 9 g; Cholesterol 10 mg; Sodium 710 mg

Excellent source of: Calcium, Fiber, Protein, Vitamin C
Good source of: Iron, Manganese, Potassium, Vitamin B6