FILL UP ON SUMMER VEGETABLES August 16, 2006 Susan Noble Family and Consumer Science Extension Agent

Days are growing shorter. Leaves are beginning to glow in shades of yellow. Autumn is poised and waiting.

While relief from the heat will be very welcome, there is a down side to the end of summer. (A culinary down side, that is; I'm sure school kids have their own idea of a down side.) With the end of summer comes the end of most fresh vegetables.

So enjoy all you can now. Even skip meat occasionally and fill up on veggies. It really will be okay nutritionally.

If the absence of meat is too stressing for you or certain family members (usually male), try macaroni and cheese with the vegetables. Mac n' cheese has been a traditional vegetarian main dish for years. Maybe because it's so warm and comforting, it makes us think we're eating meat.

Since last winter when I was diagnosed with prediabetes and high triglycerides, I've really been cutting back on fat and calories. One food I've avoided is my absolute favorite form of mac n' cheese -- the kind from the box. I miss it!

But my taste buds are happy again; I've found a recipe that's pretty darn close to box macaroni. I think the only thing you'll miss is the orangy color. Even my nephew Samuel approved of this version, and he is a mac n' cheese connoisseur. Once when our family was on a cruise with all the beautiful food around, he ate mac n' cheese at every dinner.

For myself, the next time I prepare this recipe, I plan to increase the mustard. If mustard strikes you as a strange ingredient for mac n' cheese, remember that the removal of fat from any recipe does remove flavor. So to borrow a phrase from Chef Emeril, you need to kick it up a notch with zingy ingredients. For this reason, do use sharp cheddar as noted in the recipe even if you normally prefer mild cheddar.

The zucchini recipe is my version of a Paula Deen dish. I love Paula, but I don't need the fat or calories that come with all the butter she uses. So rather than giving up her television show or magazine, I just defat her recipes. Here I used evaporated milk for cream and reduced the butter supplementing it with cooking spray. Simple changes like these will work in many recipes.

I also adapted this recipe for easier cleanup. As much as I love to cook, I hate washing dishes. I have a pan with lid that are both flameproof for stove-top cooking and bakeable for the oven, so I was able to use just one dish. My wonderful pan is also attractive enough for serving. That's what I call cookware.

The seven-layer salad is a new twist on an old recipe. Reduced-fat ingredients are used in the topping. Kidney beans substitute for green peas adding more fiber to the salad.

Now brave the heat, get some veggies, and try to enjoy the dog days of summer.

If this recipe takes too much time but you do want to feed your family healthier, do the box thing using only half the butter.

Cook pasta according to package instructions but do omit any salt and fat. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile, put flour, salt, and pepper in a large saucepan. Add milk, stirring well with a whisk to blend. Drop cream cheese by teaspoonfuls into milk mixture; bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes or till thick and cream cheese melts, stirring occasionally. Stir in mustard, Worcestershire, and garlic; simmer 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add cheddar cheese, stirring till cheese melts. Combine pasta and cheese sauce and mix together well.

Yields 6 large (1 1/2 cups) servings.

Adapted from Cooking Light magazine.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 1 1/2-quart casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside. Spray large saucepan with tight-fitting lid with cooking spray. Melt butter in prepared saucepan over low heat. Add zucchini to saucepan and cook, covered, over low heat about 5-7 minutes or till tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside.

Beat eggs with milk; add bread crumbs, Worcestershire, salt, black pepper, hot pepper sauce, and 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese, and mix well. Add zucchini mixture, stirring till well blended. Spoon into prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes. (Dish can be made in advance and refrigerated; if this is done, add about 10 minutes baking time.)

Yields 4-6 servings.

Layer first 5 ingredients in order listed in large bowl. Mix sour cream and Ranch dressing; spread over carrots. Top with cheese. Cover and chill.

Yields 6 servings.

From Cooking Light magazine.

The use of brand names in this column does not imply endorsement by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service of the products or services named or criticism of similar ones not mentioned.

E-mail address: Susan_Noble@ncsu.edu

Mailing Address:
P. O. Box 2280
Lumberton, NC 28359-2280

Phone: 910-671-3276
Fax: 910-671-6278

Date Created 08/23/06