Orzo, Tomato and Zucchini Toss

1 tsp olive oil
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 cup chopped zucchini
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
3 cups cooked orzo
1/4 tsp salt

Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes, zucchini and garlic. Saute 2 minutes. Stir in seasoning and red pepper. Saute 1 minute or until zucchini is crisp tender. Combine tomato mixture with orzo and salt. Toss well.

This is a great side dish for Chicken Scallopini

Green Beans with Warm Bacon Dressing

1 lb trimmed fresh green beans
2 strips bacon
1/4 cup chopped shallots
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar

Cook green beans in boiling water 3 minutes or until crisp tender. Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan. Crumble. Add shallots to drippings in pan and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add vinegar to shallots and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add grean beans and toss to coat. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon.

Mediterranean Couscous Salad

1 box garlic and olive oil cous cous mix
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 lb cherry tomatoes, halved
2-3 green onions, sliced
2-3 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted (can substitute slivered almonds)

Cook couscous according to package directions. Lightly toast pine nuts in a hot skillet (sometimes I skip this step when pressed for time). Add feta, tomatoes, green onions, and pine nuts to couscous and fluff with a fork. Served chilled or at room temperature.
Yield: 6 servings

Charred Summer Vegetables

2 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 5 ears)
2 cups chopped green beans
1 cup finely chopped zucchini
1 cup finely chopped bell pepper
2 Tbsp finely chopped onion
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
4 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp black pepper

Heat a 12 inch skillet over high heat. Coat with cooking spray. Add corn, beans, zucchini, onion and peppers to pan. Stir to combine. Cover and cook 5 minutes. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl, stirring well. Add to corn mixture. Toss to coat. Serve warm.

Batman Balls

When the kids were small (and even when they were not so small), they avoided anything with vegetables. The first time I prepared this dish, they took one look at the carrots and weren't about to touch it. We renamed them "Batman Balls" because the boys were big Batman fans at the time and they instantly became the most popular side dish in the house.

1/2 box acini de pepe pasta
1/4 cup grated carrot
1/4 cup finely chopped green onion

Cook pasta according to package directions. While hot, add carrot and onion. Stir. Serve hot or cold.

Wasabi Mashed Potatoes

These potatoes are so tasty, you don't need gravy!

2 lbs cubed red potatoes
1/4 cup fat free chicken broth
1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream
2 Tbsp butter
1 tsp wasabi paste
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Boil potatoes 15 minutes or until tender. Drain. Add remaining ingredients to potatoes. Mash to desired consistency.

Citrus and Kiwi Salad

We had this salad for Christmas dinner in 2009 and it was delicious. However, I learned that Dad had been taught on his mission to suck the juice from the pomegranate seeds and then spit out the kernel. This process made eating the salad a tedious and time-consuming task. I researched the eating of pomegranate seeds on the internet and found that it is okay to spit out the kernel but not necessary...the entire seed is edible.

3 kiwi, peeled and sliced
4 oranges, peeled and sliced
2 red grapefruit, peeled and sectioned
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
2 Tbsp chopped pistachios

Mix fruit in a bowl. Sprinkle with pistachios and serve immediately.

Green Beans with Bacon

2 1/2 lbs green beans
3 bacon slices
1/2 cup chopped shallots
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Cook green beans in boiling water 5 minutes until crisp tender. Drain. Plunge in ice water to stop cooking. Drain. Cook bacon until crisp. Remove from pan and crumble. Cook shallots in pan drippings, approximately 4 minutes. add beans, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Cook 5 minutes more. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon.
2/3 cup serving = 46 calories

Sweet and Spicy Cucumbers

4 cups thinly sliced cucumber
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
3/4 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and toss gently to coat. It is best to prepare this dish first and then allow it to sit while you cook the main dish to allow the cucumbers to absorb more flavor