At Chew the Facts, I not only want to provide you with good information about food and nutrition, but some practical tips too. And, from time to time, I’ll try to throw some humor in (even dietitians like cake).

Summer months are a great time to add more vegetables to your diet. I have found that most adults who say they don’t like vegetables have had very limited exposure to them. Often they’ve only had them prepared one way (boiled perhaps) or from one source (canned or frozen perhaps).  This is why it’s always great to keep an open mind about continuing to try new foods, prepared in new ways, throughout your lifetime!

Zucchini is a summer squash variety and is not only a tasty veggie; it’s really low in calories, loaded with vitamin A, some vitamin C and a good source of fiber. If you haven’t tried any in a while, buying it fresh from your farmer’s market this month is the best way to go. We happen to grow it in our summer vegetable garden and it’s ripe for the pickin’ right now.

I wanted to share this super-simple recipe that I created, inspired by a recent visit to a French restaurant. They didn’t give me the recipe, but I re-created it for myself as best as I could –  I “cheated” and used a jarred tomato sauce instead of their homemade tomato coulis, but the end result is about as yummy as theirs! Even my teenage son tried this and liked it, so give it a whirl. This dish makes a great first course or salad course and is so easy and delicious!

Zucchini Rollatini

INGREDIENTS

1 medium zucchini, unpeeled, sliced long ways into 1/8-inch thin slices

1-2 TB olive oil

Sea Salt

4 ounces Boursin® herbed cheese (or goat cheese with fresh herbs added)

3/4 cup Tomato sauce, jarred tomato-basil (or you can make your own)

METHOD:

  1. Heat Grill on medium-high
  2. Wash zucchini and gently scrub skin. Slice zucchini, long-wise, carefully with knife, or use a mandoline slicer (tips for kitchen tools in my cookbook). Drizzle olive oil onto zucchini. Use pastry brush to evenly coat each slice. Lightly salt slices.
  3. Place zucchini slices onto hot grill using tongs. Watch closely and turn when black lines appear and vegetable becomes translucent. Continue cooking on other side for a few more minutes. Remove to plate.
  4. Allow zucchini slices to cool.
  5. Spread tomato sauce onto medium serving plate
  6. Spoon 1-2 teaspoons of the herbed cheese onto one end of a slice of zucchini. Roll zucchini up, place onto serving plate coated in sauce.
  7. Continue step 6 for each zucchini slice and refrigerate until ready to serve.