zucchini

Summer is on....I have a friend who knows that I am a huge fan of zucchini.......so....she keeps me stocked up! :) My freezer is full!




Recipe: Baked Zucchini Chips, 0 PP

Written by teachergirl40 (carol) on 7/20/2012 5:23 PM

If you are a zucchini fan, like me, you'll want to read this! :) I just received this simple recipe from a friend and can't wait to try it. It says it's worth 0 PP!



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Baked Zucchini Chips

1 zucchini
canola cooking spray
seasoned salt, or other seasoning(s) of your choice

Preheat oven to 225 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or nonstick foil, and spray with canola oil. Set aside.

Slice zucchini into thin medallions, about the thickness of a quarter. (You can either use a knife & a very steady hand, or a mandoline slicer.)

Lay out slices on prepared baking sheet, and spray tops lightly with additional cooking spray. Sprinkle with seasonings of your choice. (A note on seasoning, however - use LESS than what seems appropriate. These shrink considerably in the oven, and if you use too much it gets very concentrated. It's better to end up underseasoning and add more later.)

Place in preheated oven and bake 45 minutes. Rotate baking sheet, and bake an additional 30-50 minutes, until chips are browned and crisped to your liking. These are best eaten within a couple hours of removing from the oven, as they start to get chewy if left out. One zucchini makes one serving (1/4 C. - 1/3 C. of chips depending on the size of your squash).

http://community.weightwatchers.com/Blogs/ViewPost.aspx?threadID=1676132



Zucchini Chicken Pasta in Tomato Parmesan Sauce

Ingredients:

8 oz uncooked wheat or high fiber penne (I used Barilla Plus)

14.5 oz can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes (if you can only find diced fire-roasted tomatoes, don’t fret! You can pour them in a bowl and break them down in a few seconds using an immersion blender like I did or just toss them in a blender or food processor and pulse a few times to smooth them out a bit)

8 oz can tomato sauce

½ teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon Italian Seasoning

½ teaspoon dried basil

½ teaspoon lemon juice

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

1 large zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and then sliced horizontally into half circles

Salt & pepper to taste

¼ cup fat free half and half

2 oz Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (I grate mine on the smallest holed side of my box grater)

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional garnish)

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

2. While the water is boiling for step one, combine the crushed fire-roasted tomatoes, tomato sauce, sugar, salt, Italian Seasoning, dried basil, lemon juice and crushed red pepper I a mixing bowl and stir until well combined. Set aside.

3. Pour the tablespoon of oil into a large skillet or saute pan and bring it over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and sear on each side for 3-4 minutes or until browned. Add the minced garlic to the pan and cook an additional minute until garlic is browned and fragrant. Reduce the heat to a medium-low simmer and pour the tomato sauce mixture over the chicken breasts. Simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes until chicken is cooked through and easy to shred.

4. When the chicken has about 6-7 minutes left to simmer, heat the reserved teaspoon of oil in a separate skillet over medium heat. Add the zucchini and sprinkle in salt and pepper to taste. Cook the zucchini for 5-6 minutes or until it softens and starts to brown. Set aside.

5. When the chicken is done simmering, shred the breasts using two forks and stir them back into the sauce. Remove from heat and add the half and half and Parmesan cheese (you may want to reserve a bit of the Parmesan for garnish). Stir in thoroughly until well combined. Add the reserved penne and zucchini to the chicken and stir until coated and combined. Serve garnished with reserved Parmesan and chopped parsley is desired.

Yields 6 (1 ½ cup) servings. WW P+: 8 per serving (P+ calculated using the recipe builder on weightwatchers.com)

Nutrition Information per serving from myfitnesspal.com: 324 calories, 36 g carbs, 8 g fat, 30 g protein, 5 g fiberhttp://www.emilybites.com