Zucchini "Pasta" with Basil Chicken

On my quest to discover the many uses of zucchini so that those CSA vegetables don't go to waste, I've ventured down a new path - zucchini "spaghetti." I'm a long-time fan of spaghetti squash, but I found the zucchini to have a more "pasta like" texture. In this dish, it's served warm and topped with a lean chicken breast for a little more heft. The fresh basil in the pasta really complements the dried basil on the chicken. I'd also like to try this coating the chicken with pesto instead of dried basil.

Zucchini "Pasta" with Basil Chicken
Serves 2

• 3 medium zucchini
• 1 extra large or 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
• 14 manzanilla olives, sliced in half
• 2 oz fat free feta
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp dried basil
• cooking spray

Slice the zucchini with a spiral slicer or julienne peeler into long, thin strips, avoiding the seeds. (Save the inner part with seeds for another zucchini salad.) Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water. Add the zucchini and boil for approximately 5 to 6 minutes. Drain. 

Meanwhile, preheat saute pan to medium high heat. Spray with cooking spray. Coat chicken lightly with salt, pepper and dried basil. Cook chicken in saute pan until cooked through. Slice into strips.

Add tomatoes, basil, olives, feta, olive oil, salt and pepper to a large bowl. Add warm zucchini. Toss.

Plate the zucchini pasta onto two plates. Top with chicken and serve.

Chunky Pico de Gallo

Just in time for your 4th of July barbecues, here is a recipe that is a real crowd pleaser and won't kill your waist line. A good, chunky Pico de Gallo is always a hit. With added corn, beans and avocado, this one is so hearty that I will sometimes serve it over lettuce topped with chips as a salad. It's also great as a cold cold casserole topped with crumbled chips. Really, I just want an excuse to eat it with a fork! But the traditional way is just scooped up in some crunchy, salty chips. The spice can be adjusted to your liking with more or less jalapeno.

Chunky Pico de Gallo
Serves 4-6

• 5 large tomatoes, chopped
• 1 small red or sweet onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeno, minced
• 1 can black beans, rinsed
• 1/2 can corn
• 2 avocados, chopped
• 2 limes, juiced
• salt

Toss all ingredients in a large bowl with lime juice and salt to taste. Serve with chips or over salad. 

Zucchini Crab Cakes

I had been planning on making crab cakes this week, but when I realized I had a surplus of zucchini, a new idea was born. I usually make my crab cakes with tons of peppers, so the addition of plentiful vegetables wasn't all that radical. I also figured that zucchini cakes are delicious, and crab cakes are delicious; so it's not such a stretch that they would be delicious together! I served these over Whipped Cauliflower with a fresh Herb Salad on the side. I also drizzled them with a little garlic chive yogurt sauce for extra zip.

Zucchini Crab Cakes
Serves 4-6

• cooking spray
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 2 medium zucchini, shredded
• 1/4 c flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 1/2 tbsp capers, chopped
• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 tbsp Old Bay seasoning
• 1 lb lump crab meat, drained
• 2 slices Ezekiel bread, toasted and crumbled
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 c reduced fat mayonnaise
• 1/4 c Dijon mustard

Saute the onion, celery and zucchini in a large saute pan sprayed with cooking spray over medium high heat until soft. Add the parsley, thyme, capers, Worcestershire sauce and Old Bay. Stir for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

In a separate bowl, mix mayonaise, mustard, eggs and bread crumbs. Gently add the crab meat and zucchini mixture with hands, trying not to break apart the crab meat too much. Cover and chill at least 30 minutes.

Spray large frying pan with cooking spray and heat to medium high heat. Form crab mixture into patties and cook patties for approximately 5 minutes per side, until golden brown and holding together. Work in batches to finish. Be careful as patties are very fragile.

Easy Yogurt Sauce: Mix 1/4 c non fat Greek yogurt with juice from 1/2 lemon, 1 crushed garlic clove and 1/2 tbsp chopped fresh chives. Add salt to taste.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

As part of our CSA Farm Box this week, we received slightly over one gallon of strawberries. They are gorgeous - unbelievably sweet and perfectly ripe. However, that means that I have slightly over one gallon of strawberries to cook this week because I have a feeling that more are coming in the box next week as well. Fortunately, our farmer was kind enough to pair the onslaught of strawberries with some fresh rhubarb so that I could make the always sublime Strawberry Rhubarb Pie.

With my focus on my waistline, I wanted to cut back on the sugar just a bit, and I knew these strawberries were sweet enough to work with. I also omitted the common lemon or cinnamon because I wanted to let the fruit stand on its own. Here is my recipe for a delicious, though maybe not nutritious, Strawberry Rhubarb Pie.

• 3 1/2 c fresh, ripe strawberries, halved or sliced
• 3 c rhubarb sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1/2 c granulated sugar
• 3 tbsp flour or cornstarch
• 2 pie crusts (you can make your own, but frozen really works just as well)

Preheat oven to 400F. Toss strawberries, rhubarb, sugar and flour in a large bowl. Pile into the bottom pie crust. Top with second pie crust. Crimp edges together. Slice holes in top pie crust to allow steam to escape. Bake at 400F for 20 minutes. Reduce oven temp to 350F. Bake for another 40 minutes or until top crust is golden brown. Allow to cool thoroughly before serving. Pie will last for up to 3 days at room temperature, but it likely won't stick around that long.

Chicken with Pesto and Chives

Yesterday, I was looking for a lean, protein packed meal that didn't skimp on flavor. I wanted the idea of a burger without the bun. I landed on a patty that was super packed with flavor and served it with a side of minted couscous. Though I didn't include it this time, I would recommend serving this with a pesto mayo as well. Just mix 1 tsp pesto with 1 tbsp reduced fat mayo and drizzle over the top.

• 1 lb organic ground chicken
• 2 tbsp pesto
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh chives
• 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
• Cooking spray
• 4 oz fat free feta, sliced

Mix chicken, pesto, chives and garlic with hands until combined. Do not over-mix ( it makes the meat tough). Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Divide meat into four patties. Spray the pan with cooking spray. Cook patties over medium high heat until internal temperature reaches 165F, approximately 8 minutes per side. Lay slices of feta on patties and cover skillet with a lid for the last 5 minutes of cooking to allow cheese to soften. Serve over a bed of minted couscous.

Fresh Herb Salad with Lettuce and Sorrel

Spring is a fabulous time of year for salads. The greens are plentiful and interesting. We are part of a CSA (community supported agriculture). This means that we pay a set amount for a share of the season's crops. Every week, from June through November, we receive a share of that week's harvest. In this week's farm box, we received, among other things, sorrel and mint. Sorrel is a long leaf with an arrow head shape. It gets its name from the French word for sour, and it has a surprisingly sour citrus flavor. It's a bit too sour for me to eat on its own, but it's really delicious mixed in to a salad with other lettuces and herbs. Because of the citrus flavor, I didn't add any vinegar or lemon. It just needs a touch of olive oil and salt. This salad is very light and surprisingly flavorful.

• 4 c chopped red leaf lettuce (butter or romaine would also work)
• 1 c arugula
• 1 1/2 c chopped sorrel
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh chives
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt

Add all ingredients to the serving bowl. Toss until all of the lettuce is lightly coated with olive oil and serve.

Layered Wood Monogram

My sister is getting married! She's looking for fun ways to incorporate her wedding colors into decoration at the reception, so I decided to make her a monogram that she can hang at the reception and could keep in her home after the wedding. You can purchase all of the tools you need from your local crafts store. For this fun project, you'll need:

• 3 sponge paint brushes
• 1 large solid wood plaque
• 1 laser wood cut-out, slightly smaller than the plaque
• 2 small letters
• 1 larger letter
• 3 colors of paint
• wood glue
• Q-tip or small brush

First, paint each piece separately the color of your choosing. I chose two shades of blue for the larger wood pieces and white for the initials, but you can use any color you like. Wait for them to dry, and paint a second coat. The second coat might not be necessary if you're happy with the color after the first coat, but it helped even mine out.

Once the second layer is dry, place the laser wood cut-out where you'd like it to stay. Then, lift the top up so that the bottom is still touching the wood plaque and use a Q-tip or small brush to apply the wood glue to the cut-out. Press the cut-out back down on the plaque and ensure it's in the correct position. Allow to dry thoroughly. Finally, place the letters where you'd like them to go. Follow the same process of lifting the top of the letter up, with the bottom still touching the surface below and applying the wood glue to the letter. Replace the letters and allow them to dry completely. Display and revel in your handiwork!