Sasquash Sandwich

I was sad to learn recently that the Bear Rock Cafe had closed down near my office. I also saw that their website is "under construction". I hope they resurface soon because they have a great selection of breads and vegetarian options.

I was first introduced to the Sasquash sandwich at Bear Rock. I liked it so much I wanted to make it at home, with a few alterations. I buy the pumpkin seed bread at Panera Bread. They will pre-slice your loaf but be sure to store it properly to keep from molding prematurely. I also found a similar-tasting Vidalia dressing with Ken's. It is offered in low-fat, which is actually just as good and significant fat-reduction. The original sandwich comes with sprouts and eggplant, but as you can tell from the Ultimate Vegetable list, they don't count for much, so I leave them off since I don't care for them much.

Sasquash Sandwich

sunflower-seed bread, sliced

vidalia onion dressing

fresh rosemary, crushed

garlic, minced

1 yellow squash, sliced

1 zucchini, sliced

1 pint mushrooms, preferably baby bellows

eggplant, sliced (optional)

sprouts (optional)

romaine lettuce

tomato, sliced

provolone or Havarti cheese, low-fat

Crushing rosemary is not that simple. I used to use a butcher knife but the roasmary would shoot all over the place. I finally invested in a tiny mortar and pestle. It was fairly cheap and makes crushing herbs the only means available. Rosemary is a strong herb so use sparingly. I use about one teaspoon.

Saute garlic in 1 tsp oil. Add sliced zucchini and squash and mushrooms. If using eggplant, add here. Sauté vegetables until slightly browned but not wilted.

Spread dressing on two slices of bread. Top one side with cheese and toast in a toaster oven or convention oven (at 400 degrees) until cheese is melted and bread is slightly toasted. Spread sautéed vegetables on cheese side - the cheese keeps the vegetables in tact - and top with lettuce, tomato and sprouts (if using).

The taste-maker in this recipe is the dressing. Do not short-change this meal without it.

Vegetable Panini

As some of you know, I do not have cable. I have not had cable or satellite since the invention of TiVo, so The Cooking Channel and other wonderful food stations are not part of my routine. However, since we got our converter boxes, we have found that network television is attempting to complete with their cable rivals with their own versions of The Weather Channel, American Movie Classics and The Food Network. Live Well hosts "Let's Dish" which features a lot of low-calorie, everday foods. The Grilled Vegetable Panini is one of their better dishes. I made a few adjustments, but there is a video online if you want visual instructions.

Vegetable Panini

1 zucchini, sliced 1/2 inch
1 pint baby bellos, sliced
1/2 red onion, sliced
1/4 c plus 2 tbsp reduced fat Italian dressing
pumpernickel or whole grain bread (the sturdy kind)
low-fat slices of provolone cheese
sliced tomato
lettuce

I did not grill my vegetables; however, if you have an in-home grill or leftover grilled vegeies, those are great for this sandwich.

Mix 1/4 cup of Italian dressing with zucchini, mushrooms and red onion. It is better to use a reduced fat or low fat dressing with this meal as opposed to fat as opposed to fat free so that you don't have to add any oil to saute the vegetables. Saute vegeies in hot pan until soft.

Brush one slice of bread with remaining Italian dressing. Top other slice with vegetables and cheese. Toast in toaster oven (or conventional oven at 375 degrees) until cheese is melted and toast is brown. The cheese melting with the vegetables helps to keep the vegetables in tact. Nothing is more frustrating than food falling apart as you eat it. Layer vegetables with sliced tomoato and lettuce.

Pasta with Zucchini and Almonds - Cooking Light

Pasta with Zucchini and Toasted Almonds - Quick and Easy Italian Recipes - Photos - CookingLight.com

I know I am already wearing you all out on zucchini and tomatoes, but this was an awesome recipe! The linguine was the real treat here. I found a lemon pepper linguine at Trader Joes that goes so perfect with this dish. It's cheap ($2) and the thick ribbons absorb a lot of the flavors in this spring/summery dish.

I did not include the mint, but I think it would be a great additive. I would love to have a fresh mint plant. Not only is it great for adding flavors to summer drinks and desserts, but my cat loves the plant and it is a great way to "mello" her out. Dried mint is another herb I would not substitute for fresh. If you have some fresh, use it (or better yet plant your own) but otherwise it is just as yummy without.

The almonds also did it for me in this dish. It adds a crunch that really changes the flavor compared to other summer pasta dishes. I buy Trader Joes raw, unroasted almonds. Almonds are a great source of good fat but the roasting and salt add unneeded calories. In a trail mix you can surely taste the difference, but in this kind of meal it is worth saving the calories.

Another tip I have learned is to buy in the bulk aisles at grocery stores. This is of course not the case for Trader Joes, but the "scoop and fill" bag aisle can save you a lot of money if you are not the kind of person who keeps nuts in the house often. I have a crate of nuts so I don't mind buying in bags, but if you know the majority of the bag will go bad before you use them, just buy the amount you need in the bulk aisle. It's an ingredient worth having in this dish.

Omit salt and fat: Cooking Light is big on omitting salt and oil when boiling pasta. I am not. I don't use the oil or the salt to "season" the pasta. Adding salt to water before boiling will help water boil faster. Hardly any of the salt is absorbed by the pasta itself. I add oil to the water if I am boiling large/long pasta such as linguine or spaghetti to keep the noodles from sticking together. However, when I drain the water the pasta is without the oil. Use only the amount needed to separate pasta noodles (1 tbsp) or boil water (1 tsp salt) but the added salt and oil will not affect your daily allowance.


Don't forget: cherry tomatoes over grape for a more tender, juicy tomato. Use fresh lemon juice to get the real effect. Top dish with parm instead of mixing it in. Also, I love shallots and think they are far superior to red onion. However, shallots are small and more often used in one sitting. Red onion can linger around waiting to be used. If you have leftover red onion and a recipe calling for shallots, finely chop the red onion and use as a substitute to get rid of onion and save yourself a spare trip to the store.

Gnocchi with Summer Vegetables

Add-ons to Martha Stewart's Gnocchi with Summer Vegetables

This is just about word-for-word what I do for this recipe as well. Some tips: do not overcook the gnocchi; otherwise it will taste like mashed potatoes. I use Trader Joes fresh gnocchi (in the pasta aisle) mostly because I can't find frozen and fresh is so much faster.

I do not like grape tomatoes as much as I like cherry tomatoes. Cherry tomatoes are more tender and mix better in this dish. To add a bit more flavor and a thicker sauce, stir in a tablespoon of tomato paste after the vegetables are sauted. You don't particularly add a lot more calories with paste but you double the flavor. But watch out for tomato paste with added salt; you may not need to season your vegetables if your paste has salt already.

Tomato paste is one of those staple items that are terrible to store. I use one inch cube sized ice cube trays to store and freeze leftover tomato paste after I've opened the can. Some groceries will sell a tube of paste for easier storage, but you normally pay more for that luxury. The ice cube trays give me the amount that I need (about one tbsp) and an easy way to store leftovers. I have been floored by how many times I use tomato paste now that I know it is readily available.

This is one of those times I will highly recommend fresh basil over dried. Fresh herbs are hard to come by unless you have your own garden (which you should!). I am perfectly okay with substituting dried for fresh, but this is not one of those occasions. Fresh basil adds depth and texture to this dish that cannot be substituted. Julienne cut the basil: layer several leaves of basil and roll into a cigarette-style tube. Thinly slice basil to get lovely ribbons. If you have one, use a plastic knife to avoid browning the basil leaves.

Another healthy tip is to top your dishes. Stirring two tablespoons of parm is hardly going to add taste to your dish, but if you dress your meal with a garnish of parm you get more taste without adding too much cheese. I did include the butter in this meal, but I used Brummel and Brown, which is a yogurt-based butter with fewer calories and no hydrogenated oil.

Another "no substitute" rule for this meal is fresh lemon juice. I used the bottled kind for years, but fresh lemon juice is so much better, especially for summertime dishes that emphasize light and citrus flavors. One reason I was skeptical about buying fresh lemons is lack of use. I would use one tablespoon from half a lemon and throw out the rest. BUT lemons are a fantastic cleaning agent. I use lemons to clean my counter tops and cutting boards instead of cleaning agents; it keeps your food cleaner. Lemons clean and make the kitchen smell so clean. I buy them in bags now.