Eating Healthy in a Tough Economy!

They say you are what you eat.  I love to remind myself of this when the garden Harvest begins!  I also reflect on all the great lessons Mr. Rogers taught me as a child.  Before we talk about what to do with all of that garden produce, lets take a listen to Mr. Rogers

I have mixed feelings when the garden begins to be fruitful.  Part of it is excitement and then a feeling of being overwhelmed.  What am I going to do with all this food?  Right now, we have lettuce, tomatoes, raspberries, zucchinis and yellow squash.  I am doing my best to be creative and plan my menus around those items so that nothing goes to waste.  I will have so much squash, chances are I will be sharing with friends and neighbors.  As a matter of fact, did you know there is a National Zucchini Day?  It is on August 8, so if you find a brown paper bag with a zucchini on your porch, well if you are in my neighborhood, it may be from me!

Lettuce, this is a lovely thing to grow in your garden.  You will have an abundance of salads from your garden.  My given on the menu this time of year is lettuce salad with of course tomatoes.  You can change this up and have Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato sandwiches, try a wrap with chicken salad and fruit and wrap it up in the lettuce leaf in place of the bread or tortilla you may have used for a wrap.  The key is to find creative ways to use the produce and keep it simple.  The following are a couple of ideas that I have found on various social media sites.

Zucchini Parmesan Fries 



Ingredients

• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• ½ cup grated parmesan
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons hot paprika
• 2-3 medium zucchini, cut into thick thick matchsticks
• 2 eggs
• Vegetable or olive oil spray

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Lightly grease a baking sheet with cooking spray or oil.
2. Put panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan, salt and paprika in a shallow bowl and mix to combine.
3. In a separate shallow bowl, whisk eggs with 2 Tbs. Milk.
4. Dip each zucchini piece in egg then breadcrumb mixture and put on prepared baking sheet.
5. Lightly spray the tops of the zucchini fries with the cooking spray.
6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until crispy on all sides.
7. Remove from the oven and serve.

I have used both zucchini and yellow squash and they turn out very good.  You could serve these with marinara sauce or low fat ranch style dressing.

Here are some great ideas for lettuce wraps.  My butter crunch lettuce leaves are small, so I would take any of these recipes and simply turn them into a snack size wrap, sort of the concept of sliders.  Use your creativity, that is truly the passion in my kitchen is looking at ideas and trying them with my family.  I love to add fruit to salads, not only does it give it a marvelous taste but adds to the nutrition too.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/04/lettuce-wraps-chicken-recipe_n_3378980.html

Today, I also stumbled across a great idea from Rachael Ray.  Since my garden is producing huge amounts of zucchini and yellow squash, I plan to use them in place of the egg plant.  Here is a video from Rachael Ray.  Another side note, I would greatly reduce the amount of Mozzarella cheese to reduce the fat content.  I would use shredded low fat mozzarella and may even choose an Italian Blend cheese. 

http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/food/recipes/whole-roast-eggplant-parmigiana/

I tried this recipe, but used zucchini and yellow squash instead of eggplant.  Also, I thought the amount of mozarella cheese used in the actual recipe was way too much.  I used shredded Italian blend cheese and used about 1/2 cup and then sprinkled a little over the top for the finishing touch.   Here is how mine turned out:                                          

To avoid cutting clear through, place table knife on side.

           

Zucchini and Yellow Squash

Cover with Foil, Bake 20 to 30 minutes at400 degrees Fahrenheit

Ready to bake                               

               

Ready to Eat!

Zucchini can be shredded, it is easiest to do this with a food processor, and frozen for later use, it makes wonderful Zucchini bread.  I also like to dice the zucchini and freeze it for use in soups when it is winter time.  Zucchini is high in water content, so soups and the bread work well but it does not work well to put the zucchini into a casserole dish.    

Zucchini Bread :  http://food.unl.edu/web/fnh/zucchini-bread  This recipe has been road tested by UNL and would make a great item for breakfast or for a snack, best of all, you are using your garden produce! 
                                                    

As for my Raspberries, this is a daily task to pick them, clean them and I have been freezing them for this winter.  Right now, I am getting a small bowl full everyday, but I do not want any waste.  If you choose to can things such as salsa, jams or jellies, be sure to utilize accurate recipe guides such as Ball or Kerr, you will find the books near your canning supplies.  It is important to follow the recipe guidelines to keep your food safe.  Things such as salsa need to have a certain amount of acidity in order for them to be properly preserved.  For more information on this, visit http://food.unl.edu/web/preservation/home

How does your garden grow?  If you do not have one, check out your local farmer's market, you will be glad you did!  There is nothing more delightful than a home grown tomato or fresh berries.

Fresh garden produce makes me want to have a Garden Party......