Tuscan Squash and Beans over Rice

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
3 large tomatoes, diced (or one can of diced tomoatoes)
3 cups zucchini, chopped
½ t dried oregano
½ t thyme
3 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 can cannellini beans, drained
1 cup brown rice, cooked

In a sauce pan, heat oil. Add onions and pepper and saute until tender. Mix in tomatoes and zucchini and seasonings. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir beans into veggie mixture; cook about 5 minutes more to warm everything through. Serve over rice.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Artichokes

2 jars artichoke hearts, drained and divided **
1 medium onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (14 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2- 2 pounds chicken**
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/5 teaspoons dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 medium zucchini, sliced
1 cup grape tomatoes
2 cups whole wheat cous cous OR 1 cup quinoa**
1 tablespoon lemon juice

In a slow cooker, combine one jar of artichoke hearts, the onion, garlic, spices, broth and chicken. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours. Then place zucchini, tomatoes, and second package of artichokes in the cooker; re-cover and heat for another 15-30 minutes, or until veggies are cooked. (You know it is done when the tomatoes are just about to burst or a few have.) Remove chicken and vegetables with a slotted spoon; cover them with foil to keep warm. Stir the couscous or quinoa into the remaining liquid; add lemon juice. Cover and cook until grain is done and (most of) the liquid is absorbed. Serve chicken and vegetables over couscous or quinoa.

**Note-If you want your artichokes to have a more mild flavor, then add both jars in at the beginning. Adding the second jar the last 30 minutes of cooking makes the artichoke have a stronger taste.
**Note-Use any sort of chicken you have on hand. If you are using bone-in, use about 2lbs. If you are using boneless then 1 1/2 lbs should be fine. When you remove the veggies and chicken, set aside your chicken so you can take the skin off and the bones out and just have the meat in with the veggies. After cooking so long the chicken should fall right off.
**Note-If you are using cous cous, you can add it to the slower cooker and it will cooking in 5-10 minutes. If you are using quinoa, it may take much, much longer, possibly an hour. If you don't have that sort of time, I recommend putting your remaining broth in a pot on the stove and cooking your quinoa according to packaged directions.

Grilled Vegetable Salad

1 red bell pepper cored and cut into 4 pieces
1 eggplant (about 1 pound), cut across into 1/4-inch rounds
1 medium onion, cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 medium zucchini (about 8 ounces each), cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices
Olive oil cooking spray
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Arrange the vegetables in a single layer on a tray or work surface. Lightly spray both sides with olive oil cooking spray. Preheat a grill or grill pan over a medium-high heat. Grill the vegetables in batches until both sides are nicely charred and the vegetables are just tender, about 10 minutes for the pepper, about 8 minutes for the eggplant and onion, and about 6 minutes for the zucchini. When the vegetables are cool enough to handle, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and transfer to a large bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar and oregano. Pour over the vegetables and toss. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Gently stir in the tomatoes. Divide the salad between 4 plates and sprinkle with the feta.

**Note-This salad is particularly tasty with pita-either chips or put into the bread and served as a light lunch.

Pantry Soup

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 small zucchini, sliced
2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomato
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (15-ounce) can small white beans or cannellini beans
1 (10 ounces) box, cut frozen green beans
Salt and pepper
1 cup fresh basil, torn or shredded
Grated Parmigiano or Romano, to pass at table

Sautee garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, onions, carrots, celery and zucchini in oil. Cook 10 minutes, then add in the stock, tomatoes and beans. Bring soup up to a bubble and season with salt and pepper, to your taste. Simmer 15-30 minutes, until veggies are softened and the taste is where you want it. Turn off the heat and wilt the basil into the soup. Ladle up the soup and serve with grated cheese and bread.

**Note-Feel free to take away what you don't have on hand and add what you do. It's a great clean out your pantry soup!

Italian-Style Pasta and Beans

8-12 ounces uncooked dried pasta twists (thin corkscrew, fusilli or elbow macaroni)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large (1 cup) onion, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 (15-ounce) can low salt garbanzo beans, rinsed, drained (or any other can of white beans)
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained**
2 medium zucchini, sliced 1/4-inch
Mozzarella cheese, shredded

Cook pasta twists according to package directions. Drain.

Meanwhile while pasta cooks, heat oil in 3-quart saucepan until sizzling; add onion and garlic. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened (4 to 5 minutes).
Add all remaining ingredients. Stir in cooked pasta. Cover; continue cooking for 10 minutes. Sprinkle individual bowls with cheese.

**Note-if you are not using Italian style tomatoes, add to your veggie mixture: 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper
**Note-I like my pasta (and other dishes) very saucy. If you are like me, you may want to add an additional can of tomatoes or an 8oz can of tomato sauce. If you do this, you may need to increase the seasoning to taste.

Meatball Espanol

1 lb ground beef
1 c bread crumbs
1/4 cup finely chopped onions
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons worchestershire sauce
2 teaspoons pepper
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1 can stewed tomatoes
2 1/2 cups zucchini, thinly sliced
1 cup beef broth
1/2 teaspoon, each, oregano, basil and sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Cooked rice

Oven at 375. Combine beef, bread crumbs, onion, celery, worcestershire sauce, egg and garlic salt. Form into meatballs. Bake for 20 minutes in a casserole dish. When done, remove from dish and place on paper towels to drain fat. Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, zucchini, and remaining seasonings in a small saucepan. Simmer for five minutes. Blend cornstarch into beef broth and stir into tomato mixture. Return meatballs to dish and pour tomatoes over the balls. Bake for 10 minutes longer. Serve over rice.

**Note-this is another recipe compliments of my mother that I am including purely for the ease of the dish and sentimental reasons.

Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables

2 red peppers, cored and cut into 1-inch wide strips
2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 summer squash, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes
4 cremini mushrooms, halved
1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced into 1-inch strips
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 tablespoon dried Italian herb mix or herbs de Provence
1 pound penne pasta
3 cups marinara sauce (store bought or homemade)
1 cup grated fontina cheese
1/2 cup grated smoked mozzarella
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/3 cup for topping
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

Oven at 450 degrees. On a baking sheet, toss the peppers, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, and onions with olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and dried herbs. Roast until tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook for about 6 minutes. Since you will be cooking the pasta a second time in the oven, you want to make sure the inside is still hard. Drain in a colander.

In a large bowl, toss the drained pasta with the roasted vegetables, marinara sauce, cheeses, peas, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Using a wooden spoon, gently mix, until all the pasta is coated with the sauce and the ingredients are combined.

Pour the pasta into a greased 9 by 13-inch pan. Top with the remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan and butter pieces. Bake until top is golden and cheese melts, about 25 minutes.

**Note-feel free to use all Mozzarella if you don't have Fontina
**Note-this makes a great potluck dish or a dish to give to a friend who is sick or just had a baby. It's also a perfect, quick weeknight meal when you don't know what to make. Chances are you have all ingredients on hand and all you really have to do is chop everything up.

Primavera Orzo

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 shallots, chopped
1 small zucchini, chopped
2 small carrots, chopped
1 teaspoon curry powder
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup orzo pasta
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley, a handful
1 cup frozen peas
Salt and pepper

Heat a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan in a slow stream. Add garlic, shallots, zucchini and carrots. Saute 5 minutes. Add curry, chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add orzo and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally until pasta absorbs the liquid and is al dente in texture, 10 minutes. Uncover and stir in cheese, parsley and peas. Season with salt and pepper, to your taste.

**Note-feel free to substitute any vegetables you have on hand.

Creamy Pasta Primavera

3 cups Penne pasta, uncooked
2 tablespoons light Italian Dressing
2 zucchini, cut into chunks
1-1/2 cups cut-up fresh asparagus (1-inch lengths)
1 red pepper, chopped
1 cup chicken broth
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) cream cheese, cubed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese


Cook pasta as directed on package. Meanwhile, heat dressing in large skillet on medium heat. Add vegetables; cook 5-7 min. or until veggies have softened stirring frequently. Add broth and cream cheese; cook 1 min. or until cheese is melted, stirring constantly. Add Parmesan cheese; mix well. Drain pasta; return to pot. Add vegetable mixture; toss lightly. Cook 1 min. or until heated through. (Sauce will thicken upon standing.)

**Note-may substitute any veggies you have leftover and need to use up.

Moroccan Cous Cous

1 cup uncooked couscous
water
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can chickpeas
2 cups vegetables (good for this recipe would be peppers, zucchini, or carrots but use whatever you have on hand), chopped to match in size the chickpeas
1 cup jarred or homemade salsa
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons golden raisins (or whatever dried fruit you have on hand)
1 tablespoon brown sugar (or whatever natural sweetener you have on hand)
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Cooked couscous in water according to packaged directions. Cover to keep warm and set aside. Meanwhile, in a skillet, saute your veggies in the oil until softened, about 5 minutes. The last one minute, add garlic, being careful not to burn it. Add the remaining ingredients to the skillet, stirring to combine. Let simmer/warm for 10-20 minutes, letting the flavors blend.

**Note-this is a recipe I altered to fit what I had in my cupboard at the time. It is very versatile and perfect for using up little bits of left over things. Don't have brown sugar? Use honey! Don't have raisins, use dried apricots! There is a lot of play in this recipe, which is great when you clean out your cupboard and realize you have 2 bags of dried cranberries and don't know what to do with them.

Pineapple Zucchini Bread

3 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup natural apple sauce
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups shredded zucchini
1 cup crushed pineapple (drained)
3 cups whole wheat flour**
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
3/4 teaspoons nutmeg
1 cup raisins
1 cup walnuts, chopped

Oven at 350. Cream eggs, oil, apple sauce and sugar. Add vanilla, zucchini and pineapple, mix well. Add dry ingredients, mix until moistened. Stir in the raisins and walnuts. Divide batter between 2 greased standard loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour. Slice each loaf into 12 pieces.

**Note-You can use regular flour or a mix of whole wheat and white flour, but I encourage you to use at least some whole wheat flour as it is a super easy way and tasty way to get whole grains into your diet.
**Note-this recipe does not taste too much different than standard zucchini bread recipes. I included it because with apple sauce, zucchini, pineapple and raisins, each slice has nearly a 1/4 cup of veggies and fruit in it, which is much more than your standard zucchini bread recipe. Because of all the added fruit, it is an extra moist bread as well.

Pizza Soup

1 pound (Mild) Italian sausage
1 cup celery
1 pound chopped zucchini
1 large onion chopped
1 chopped green pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 quart canned tomatoes
2 cups chicken, beef or vegetable stock
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon oregano
¼ teaspoon basil
¼ teaspoon Italian seasonings

Brown sausage until gray. Add to it the veggies and cook about 5 minutes, until soft. Add in spices and cook an additional 2-3 minutes. Add the tomatoes (with their juice) and the stock and simmer about one hour. Serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan Cheese and either French or Italian bread.

Open-Face Garden Sandwiches

1 small zucchini, sliced
1 small yellow squash, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
1/2 red pepper, cut into strips
4 pitas
4 teaspoons Italian salad dressing
3/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese

Oven at 450. Place veggies on a greased baking sheet, coat with cooking spray, season with salt and pepper. Roast 10 minutes, or until tender. Arrange vegetables evenly over pitas. Drizzle with dressing and top with cheese. Place pitas on the baking sheet and broil about 3 minutes, until cheese melts.

Stuffed Shells

12 ounces (1 box) jumbo pasta shells (approximately 40 shells)
2 jars tomato sauce**

**If freezing half the recipe, only use one jar of tomato sauce.

For the stuffing
2 cups frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 teaspoons olive oil, plus extra for serving
2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and shredded
2 scallions, chopped
2 cups (16 ounces) part-skim ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded reduced-fat, part-skim mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Pinch grated nutmeg

Oven at 350. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the shells, and partially cook 6 to 7 minutes — they should have started to become tender but will still be firm to the bite. Drain in a colander, Let cool. Meanwhile, in a skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the zucchini and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring every now and then, until tender and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add scallions during the final 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl and add spinach. Mix in ricotta, 1 cup of the mozzarella, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, parsley, 1/8 teaspoon pepper and nutmeg, and stir to combine.

Spoon a thin layer of sauce over the bottom of two** 9-x-13-inch baking dishes. Fill the cooked shells with the cheese mixture, about 1-2 tablespoon per shell, and arrange the shells side by side in a single layer in the prepared dishes. Spoon the remaining sauce over the shells, cover with aluminum foil, and bake until the filling is heated through 25 to 30 minutes. Last 5-10 minutes, take out and cover with 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.

**Note, this recipe makes enough for 2. I recommend making one of the pans a disposable foil pan. Spray it with non-stick spray and fill with shells. Cover with plastic wrap then foil. Carefully (so as not to tip the shells) transfer to the freezer. When ready to use, thaw overnight in the fridge. Uncover foil and plastic wrap. Pour a jar of sauce over shells and recover with foil only. Bake as above.

Black Bean and Zucchini Quesadillas

1 cup shredded zucchini
½ cup black beans
2 green onions, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 lime, juiced
4 6-inch tortillas
1/4 cup cheddar cheese

Saute zucchini, onion and spices until tender, about 3 minutes. Mix zucchini and beans together in a bowl. Spread mixture on 2 tortillas. Top with cheese and other tortilla. Microwave 60 seconds or use toaster oven until warmed through and melted. Serves 2.

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes about two dozen

1 egg, beaten
½ cup butter, softened
½ cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1 cup white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 cup finely shredded zucchini
12 oz chocolate chips

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. In a separate bowl, cream together wet ingredients. When creamed, add dry ingredients to wet and combine. When combined, stir in zucchini and chocolate chips. Mix well. Drop by spoonful onto greased baking sheet, and flatten with the back of a spoon. Bake at 350°, 10 to 15 minutes.

Disappearing Zucchini Orzo

12 oz orzo pasta
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 large zucchini, grated
Olive oil for saute
1/2 teaspoon Thyme
1/2 teaspoon Oregano
¼ cup grated Parmesan or any hard yellow cheese

Bring a pot of water to boil. Boil orzo according to package directions. Meanwhile, saute onion, garlic, and zucchini with spices until lightly golden. Remove mixture from heat. Combine with cheese and cooked orzo, salt to taste, serve cool or at room temperature.

Ravioli Casserole

1 25oz bag frozen ravioli (your choice), thawed
1 medium zucchini, cut in half length wise then sliced (about one cup)**
1 jar tomato sauce
1 cup shredded cheese
1/8 teaspoon Italian seasoning (if desired)

Oven at 350. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients, except cheese and seasoning. Spoon into a baking dish. Bake 40-50 minutes or until heated through a bubbly. Sprinkle with cheese and seasoning and bake an additional 5-10 minutes until cheese is melted and/or browned.

**Note-you may want to add an extra cup of a vegetable of your choice

Zuchinni Vanilla Cupcakes

Makes 12 cupcakes

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/3 cup oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups zucchini, finely grated

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Line a 12-muffin pan with cupcake liners.

In a bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. In another bowl, beat the eggs, vanilla, oil and zucchini until mixed.

Add the wet ingredients and beat on low speed until fully incorporated, scraping down the bowl once with a spatula during beating. Fill cupcakes.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35 to 40 minutes, Transfer cupcakes out onto a wire rack and cool completely before icing with your choice of frosting.

**Note-each of these cupcakes (without frosting) has only about 160 calories!
**Note-you may even be able to make these substituting half the oil for some vanilla yogurt. Give it a try and see!

Easy Lasagna

8 oz lasagna noodles
1 tablespoon oil
1 onion, chopped
1 pepper, chopped
2 jars tomato sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon basil
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
**Note-you may add other veggies as desired such as zucchini, spinach, etc.

Cook noodles according to directions, set aside. Cook onions, peppers and other veggies in oil until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in sauce and spices. In a 2 quart greased baking dish, layer 1/3 of the noodles, 1/3 the sauce mixture and 1/3 the cheeses. Repeat two times. Bake 30 minutes at 350 until heated and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.