Tomato season is a joy, and around this time the final stragglers are ripening. If you’re like me, you may have a small herd of tomatoes collecting on your kitchen counter, held in by a zucchini fence. If not, a trip to the grocery store or local market is certainly in order!
It’s important to try new veggie recipes so you don’t get bored, and skimp on them. The current recommendation is that at least half of our plate is non-starchy vegetables such as these. Non-starchy veg is where we get a lot of fiber that helps with gut regularity, maintaining healthy cholesterol levels and helps to stabilize our blood sugar. These veggies are also where we get most of our vitamins and minerals too. This recipe is not only a great veggie dish to fill half your dinner plate, but it’s also amazing on a sandwich. Imagine a grilled cheese with a hearty whole wheat bread, crisp at the edges, with whole turkey breast slices, warm, juicy tomatoes, caramelized zucchini, and a little stone-ground mustard if you like. If you have leftovers, now you know what to do with them.
Recipe adapted from: Summer Zucchini & Tomato Gratin – Eat Yourself Skinny
Ingredients
2 medium zucchini, sliced
4-5 Roma tomatoes, sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, fresh grated if possible
¼ cup breadcrumbs
Fresh basil (optional, but recommended)
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly coat 8×8 baking dish in olive oil and arrange slices of zucchini and tomato upright, in an alternating pattern. Drizzle the zucchini and tomato in olive oil, and sprinkle the garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper over top. Mix breadcrumbs and Parmesan in a bowl, and top off the veg with the mix. Cover the dish in foil and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the vegetables are easily pierced with a fork. Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 min until breadcrumbs and Parmesan are slightly browned. Top with fresh basil before serving. Serves 6.
Nutrition Facts:
Calories: 163; Total Fat: 9.7g; Sodium: 293mg; Total Carb: 12.5g; Fiber: 2.7g; Sugar: 6.6g; Protein: 6.7g
