Summer Veggie Dish: Quick, Tasty and Low-Cal

Fresh vegetables are tastiest when in season - plus, it makes good dollars and sense to plan your meals when crops are most copious at the market. The following seasonal recipe marries wonderful flavors for a delightfully light and healthy side dish. We recommend doubling the quantities (it's that good), and perhaps tossing in a little yellow summer squash for added color.

SUMMER VEGETABLE BAKE 

starring one fruit, the tomato

Prep: About 5 minutes

Cook: About 25 minutes

Ingredients:

3 small zucchini

8 cherry tomatoes

1 small eggplant 

1 garlic glove

3 Tbls. extra virgin olive oil

3/4 C bread crumbs

3 Tbls. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 Tbls. chopped basil (optional)

3 oz. fresh mozzarella (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: 

Preheat often to 400F. Cut all veggies into one-inch slices. Mince garlic. Place zucchini, tomatoes and eggplant in a bowl. Add oil, salt and pepper and toss to coat the veggies in the oil. Arrange in an oiled casserole dish that allows veggies to rest in a single layer across the pan. If desired, tuck slices of mozzarella between vegetables. Bake, basting a time or two with oil and juices, until veggies are golden (approx. 20 minutes). Meanwhile, mix bread crumbs, garlic, parsley and basil in a small bowl. Remove veggies from the oven, spoon bread-crumb mix over the veggies to soak up the juices, and put dish back into the oven for another 5 minutes (or until golden). Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with bread.

Recipe from Mary Gwynn's "30-Minute Vegetarian Recipes" 

To learn more about the health benefits of a few ingredients, visit these links: 

Tomato: vitamin C, K and much more

Summer squash: hydrating and bearer of carotene, potassium and more 

Garlic: known to lower cholesterol, fight illness, infection and more