Borlotti Minestrone

1 1/4 cups dried borlotti beans (about 1/2 pound)

1/2 cup coarsely chopped bacon (about 6 slices)

1 cup chopped onion (about 1 small)

1 cup chopped fennel bulb

3/4 cup chopped carrot (about 2 carrots)

3/4 cup chopped celery (about 2 stalks)

1 teaspoon dried basil

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups chopped zucchini (about 2 medium)

6 cups chopped kale

3 cups water

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 (14-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1 (14.5-ounce) can petite-diced tomatoes, undrained

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Sort and wash beans; place in a large bowl. Cover with water to 2 inches above beans; cover and let stand 8 hours or overnight. Drain beans.

Place beans in a large saucepan, and cover with water to 3 inches above beans; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 1 1/2 hours or until tender. Drain.

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add bacon to pan; cook 6 minutes or until crisp, stirring frequently. Add onion and next 5 ingredients (through garlic); sauté 4 minutes. Add zucchini; sauté 3 minutes. Add kale; sauté 2 minutes or until kale wilts. Add 3 cups water, tomato paste, broth, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes. Add beans; simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper; sprinkle with cheese.

8 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups soup and 1 tablespoon cheese)

Calories 224 Fat 5.7g Satfat 2.4g Monofat 2.1g Polyfat 0.9g Protein 14.9g Carbohydrate 31.6g Fiber 10.7g Cholesterol 12mg Iron 3mg Sodium 662mg Calcium 199mg

White Bean and Sausage Ragout with Tomatoes, Kale, and Zucchini

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 (4-ounce) links chicken sausage, cut into (1/2-inch) slices

1 zucchini, quartered and cut into (1/2-inch) slices (about 2 cups)

3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

6 cups chopped trimmed kale (about 1/2 pound)

1/2 cup water

2 (16-ounce) cans cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onion and sausage 4 minutes or until sausage is browned. Add zucchini and garlic; cook 2 minutes. Add kale and remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve immediately.

4 servings (serving size: 1 3/4 cups)

Calories 467 Caloriesfromfat 20% Fat 10.2g Satfat 2.3g Monofat 4.6g Polyfat 2.5g Protein 28.5g Carbohydrate 71.8g Fiber 15.4g Cholesterol 42mg Iron 8.8mg Sodium 764mg Calcium 370mg

Stuffed Zucchini Boats with Tomato Salad

4 large zucchini, halved lengthwise (about 3 pounds)

1 cup chopped onion

8 ounces hot turkey Italian sausage, casings removed

3/8 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1 1/2 ounces whole-grain bread, torn into small pieces

5 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, torn into small pieces and divided

2 1/2 teaspoons olive oil, divided

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup thinly sliced basil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat broiler to high.

Using a spoon, remove zucchini pulp, leaving a 1/4-inch-thick shell. Coarsely chop pulp, reserving 2 cups; discard remaining pulp. Place zucchini halves in a large microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap; vent. Microwave at HIGH for 4 minutes; let stand, covered, until time to stuff.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and sausage to pan; cook 4 minutes or until done, stirring to crumble sausage. Stir in reserved 2 cups zucchini pulp. Place zucchini halves on a jelly-roll pan; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Divide sausage mixture evenly among zucchini halves.

Place bread in a mini food processor; pulse 5 to 6 times or until coarse crumbs form. Add 2 ounces cheese and 1 teaspoon oil; pulse to combine. Top zucchini halves with bread mixture. Broil 1 to 2 minutes or until cheese melts and breadcrumbs begin to brown.

Combine remaining 3 ounces cheese, tomatoes, and basil in a bowl; toss to combine. Combine remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil, vinegar, and pepper in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over tomato mixture; toss to coat. Serve with zucchini boats.

Sauteed Zucchini, Peppers, and Tomatoes

1 pound (about 2 medium) zucchini
2 yellow bell peppers
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pint grape tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, smashed
Coarse salt and ground pepper
Quarter zucchini lengthwise; cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick pieces. Remove ribs and seeds from peppers; cut into 3/4-inch squares.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add zucchini, peppers, tomatoes, and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing frequently, until vegetables are crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes.

Zucchini-Scallion Fritters

1 pound (about 2 medium) zucchini, coarsely grated
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 large egg
2 scallions, finely chopped
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
Sour cream, for serving

Place zucchini in a colander set in the sink, and toss with 1 teaspoon salt; let drain 10 minutes. Press out as much liquid as possible.

Whisk egg in a large bowl; mix in zucchini, scallions, flour, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until combined.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook fritters in two batches: Drop six mounds of batter (2 tablespoons each) into skillet; flatten slightly. Cook, turning once, until browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a papertowel-lined plate; sprinkle with salt. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve immediately, with sour cream.

Zucchini Soup with Creme Fraiche and Cilantro

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 large leek, white and tender green parts only, thinly sliced
1 large poblano—cored, seeded and thinly sliced
5 medium zucchini (2 1/4 pounds), cut into 1-inch rounds
2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 quart low-sodium chicken broth
1 small Parmesan cheese rind (optional)
One 6-ounce bunch cilantro, stemmed and coarsely chopped, plus whole leaves for garnish
1 cup crème fraîche

In a large pot, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the leek and poblano and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the zucchini and garlic, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the chicken broth and Parmesan rind and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat until the zucchini is very tender and no longer bright green, about 15 minutes. Discard the Parmesan rind and add the chopped cilantro.

Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender or food processor until very smooth. Return the soup to the pot, whisk in the crème fraîche and reheat gently if necessary. Season the soup with salt and pepper and ladle into bowls. Garnish the soup with cilantro leaves and serve.

Ratatouille Spirals

3 pounds beefsteak tomatoes, scored with an “X” on the bottoms
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Kosher salt
2 cups cubed country bread
2 1/2 pounds firm medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick strips
2 1/2 pounds small eggplant, preferably Japanese, cut lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick strips
3 roasted red bell peppers, cut into 1/2-inch strips
18 oil-packed anchovies, cut into thin strips
3/4 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into 2-by- 1/2-inch sticks

In a medium pot of boiling water, blanch the tomatoes for 30 seconds; drain. Slip off the skins and halve the tomatoes crosswise. Coarsely chop the tomatoes, keeping the juices and seeds.

Preheat the oven to 375°. In a large, deep skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the garlic and crushed pepper and cook over moderate heat for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and juices and season lightly with salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce has thickened, about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, on a baking sheet, toss the bread with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Toast for about 15 minutes, stirring once, until golden.

In 2 separate colanders, toss the zucchini and eggplant with 1 tablespoon of salt each and let drain for 15 minutes. Shake out the excess liquid and pat the slices dry.

Spoon the tomato sauce into a shallow 2 1/2-quart baking dish and scatter the bread cubes on top. On a work surface, top each zucchini slice with a slice of eggplant; blot dry if necessary. Place a strip of roasted pepper and anchovy and a stick of mozzarella at one end of each stack and roll up. Stand the rolls in the baking dish and brush with oil.

Cover with parchment paper. Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the vegetables are just tender and the ratatouille is bubbling; remove the parchment halfway through baking. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Serves 10

Michael Symon’s Grilled Salmon and Zucchini Salad

4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 lemon
3 cups thinly sliced zucchini (about 2 small)
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Preheat grill or grill pan to high heat.

Drizzle fillets with 1 tablespoon oil. Sprinkle fillets evenly with 3/8 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Arrange fillets on grill rack or grill pan; grill 5 minutes or until desired degree of doneness, turning once.

Grate lemon rind to equal 1 1/2 teaspoons; squeeze juice to equal 2 tablespoons. Combine rind, juice, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, remaining 3/8 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, zucchini, and dill in a bowl; toss gently to coat. Place 1 fillet on each of 4 plates. Top each serving with about 2/3 cup salad; sprinkle each serving with 1 tablespoon almonds.

Serves 4

Amount per serving
Calories: 379
Fat: 22.7g
Saturated fat: 3g
Monounsaturated fat: 11.2g
Polyunsaturated fat: 4g
Protein: 38.2g
Carbohydrate: 4.8g
Fiber: 1.6g
Cholesterol: 89mg
Iron: 1.4mg
Sodium: 461mg
Calcium: 50mg

Italian Vegetable Strata with Turkey Sausage

1⁄2 cup sliced scallion
1 large red bell pepper, diced
1 zucchini, chopped
4 cups fresh baby spinach
1 lb sweet turkey sausage, casings removed, broken into bite-size chunks
7 eggs
2 1⁄2 cups 2% milk
1⁄2 cup nonfat milk
1⁄2 cup grated Parmesan-Romano cheese
1⁄4 tsp black pepper
1 medium loaf French bread (about 5 cups), cut into large chunks
1 cup grated reduced-fat Monterey Jack

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 13-by-9-inch baking dish and a small skillet with cooking spray.

Sauté scallion, red pepper, and zucchini in skillet for 4 minutes. Add spinach and sausage and continue cooking until sausage is browned.

In a large bowl, whisk eggs with milk, Parmesan-Romano, and black pepper.

In baking dish, layer half the bread, half the egg mixture, and half the sausage-vegetable mixture. Repeat layers.

Press down to make sure bread is completely submerged. Set aside for 20 minutes. (You can also prepare this up to a day ahead and store in fridge.)

Sprinkle with Monterey Jack. Bake for 1 hour or until golden brown and puffy.

8 servings

380 calories

Penne Rigate with Spicy Sausage and Zucchini in Tomato Cream Sauce

8 ounces uncooked penne rigate pasta
6 ounces hot turkey Italian sausage, casings removed
12 ounces zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
Dash of sugar
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 (28-ounce) can no-salt-added whole tomatoes
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Cooking spray
3 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided (about 3/4 cup)
1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated and divided (about 1/4 cup)

Preheat oven to 375°.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain; set aside.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage to pan, and sauté for 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Using a slotted spoon, remove sausage from pan. Wipe drippings from pan with a paper towel. Add zucchini to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until crisp-tender, stirring frequently. Add oregano and next 4 ingredients (through sugar); sauté 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add vinegar; cook for 30 seconds or until the liquid evaporates. Drain tomatoes in a sieve over a bowl, reserving 1 cup tomato liquid. Crush tomatoes with hands, and add to zucchini mixture. Add reserved 1 cup tomato liquid; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove pan from heat; stir in cream. Add pasta and sausage to tomato mixture; stir to combine.

Spoon half of pasta mixture into an 11 x 7-inch glass or ceramic baking dish, or divide half evenly among 4 individual dishes coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle 1 ounce mozzarella and 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano over pasta. Top with remaining pasta mixture; sprinkle evenly with remaining 2 ounces mozzarella and remaining 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes or until browned and bubbly.

4 servings

450 calories