Vegetable Sides

Keeping vegetables healthy is a real challenge for me since I was raised in the South where vegetables where almost always cooked a long time with some sort of smoked pork or smothered with butter. If not, they were baked into casseroles using canned soups. They were yummy but too full of fat and salt for our diet today. I think I most miss fried green tomatoes. The recipes below are still yummy, but revised for healthy eating. There is even a recipe for oven-fried green tomatoes.

Collard Greens

2 pounds collard greens
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1-2 jalapeno peppers (or other hot peppers)
1 clove of garlic, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning*
3 cups low-sodium, low-fat chicken stock
Cider vinegar, optional

Thoroughly wash the collard greens; cut out the center stem and discard. Cut the greens into wide strips. Add the olive oil to a large kettle and saute the onion, jalapenos and garlic until they are translucent. Add the greens, Cajun seasoning and chicken stock. Bring the pot to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 20-30 minutes or until done–do not overcook. Add a splash of vinegar to each serving if desired.

*Homemade sodium-free Cajun seasoning: Combine 4 teaspoons paprika, 3 teaspoons garlic powder, 3 teaspoons ground black pepper, 1 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 1/2 teaspoon white pepper, 2 1/2 teaspoons onion powder, 1 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme -- crumbled, 1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano -- crumbled. Store in an airtight container.

Squash and Onions

Butter flavored cooking spray
1 large sweet onion, sliced
5 medium squash, sliced
1/2 cup low-sodium, low-fat chicken stock
pinch of salt, optional
Several grinds of black pepper
2 tablespoons heart-healthy margarine

Spray a heavy skillet with cooking spray. Add the sliced onion and cook over medium heat until they are beginning to cook and are translucent. Add the sliced squash, the stock, the salt, if using, and the black pepper. Cook about 15 minutes or until the squash in done. Stir in the margarine.

Squash Casserole

6-8 medium squash
1 medium onion
1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
pinch of salt, optional
2 tablespoons soft, heart-healthy margarine
1/2 cup egg substitute
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
cooking spray
1/3 cup grated Swiss cheese

Slice the squash and chop the onion. Simmer together with a little water until tender, 10-15 minutes. Drain in a colander.

Meanwhile, add 3/4 cup of the chicken stock to a small sauce pan. Dissolve the cornstarch into the remaining 1/4 cup stock. Whisk into the stock and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until done and thickened. Stir in the sour cream, cayenne pepper and salt, if using.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the drained squash and onions, the chicken stock mixture, the margarine, the egg substitute, and the bell pepper. Stir to combine. Spray a 3-quart casserole dish with cooking spray. Add the squash mixture. Top with the grated cheese. Bake 20-30 minutes or until firm.

Oven-Fried Green Tomatoes

1/2 cup egg substitute
3 tablespoons buttermilk
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning (see above)
1/4 cup flour
3/4 cup panko crumbs
2 large green tomatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick
Cooking Spray

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and fit it with a wire rack. Spray it with cooking spray.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Mix together the egg substitute and buttermilk in a small bowl. Put the flour in a small dish and the panko crumbs in another. Dip the tomato slices in the flour, then the egg mixture, then the panko crumbs. Put them on the wire rack. Bake 25-30 minutes or until browned and crisp.

Spaghetti with Summer Sauce

2 pounds medium to large ripe tomatoes (3-6, depending on size)
2 whole cloves of garlic, peeled, crushed and chopped
1 small bunch fresh basil, leaves only, chopped
Pinch of salt, optional
Fresh ground pepper to taste
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 pound whole wheat spaghetti
Grated Parmesan cheese

Remove the stem end of the tomatoes and discard. With a sharp knife, coarsely chop the tomatoes and place them along with their juices in a glass or stainless steel bowl. Add the garlic and basil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the olive oil. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for about an hour.
Cook the pasta according to package directions and drain. Add the sauce to the hot pasta and toss. Top each serving with a teaspoon of Parmesan.

Balsamic Grilled Vegetables
Recipe courtesy of Dannon®: http://dairyspot.com/kitchen/recipes/sidedishes/yogurt_veggies.html

1 cup balsamic vinegar
1 1/4 cups plain lowfat or fat-free yogurt
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
3 zucchini, sliced in 1/2-inch rounds
2 baby eggplants, sliced in 1/2-inch rounds
1 sweet onion, sliced in 1/2-inch rounds
1/2 cup roasted red peppers, diced

Pour the balsamic vinegar into a small saucepan. Simmer over medium high and reduce to 3 tablespoons. Cool. Add the cooled vinegar to the yogurt. Mix in the oil, garlic and parsley. Place prepared zucchini, eggplant and onion on a sheet pan and brush with half of the yogurt mixture. On a lightly oiled preheated grill, cook vegetables until golden brown (about 3 to 4 minutes.) Place cooked vegetables on a platter and sprinkle with red peppers. Drizzle remaining yogurt dressing over the vegetables and serve. (Try serving over brown rice.)