Zucchini and Yellow Squash Gratin

This weekend, my boyfriend’s mom and step-dad came to visit us in our new apartment!  They moved to Virginia about a year and a half ago, so unfortunately we don’t get to see them as much as we would like, but it was great seeing them and spending time with them since we haven’t seen them since January!

In planning the itinerary and menu for the weekend, we knew that we definitely wanted to take them out to dinner at least one night and cook another.  The third night we would just play by ear!  One of the nights we knew we definitely wanted to have steak, so I had to think of a side.  My friend Lauren told me about this Martha Stewart recipe and I knew I had to try it! Zucchini and yellow squash are really in season right now so this was the perfect dish.   It ended up being delicious!  The zucchini and squash still had a crunch to them so they weren’t soggy and the shallots added a great flavor and you can never go wrong with some Parmesan cheese!  I did my own spin on the recipe by using some lighter ingredients. 

Ingredients:

·         2 tablespoons light margarine (I used I Can't Belive it's Not Butter)

·         2 medium zucchini (about 7 oz. each), sliced ¼ inch thick

·         2 medium yellow squash (about 7 oz. each), sliced ¼ inch thick

·         2 shallots, minced

·         2 garlic cloves, minced

·         ½ cup fat free evaporated milk

·         1 cup panko, divided

·         ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

·         Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1.       Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and spray a 2-quart baking dish with non-fat cooking spray.

2.       In a large skillet, melt the light margarine over medium heat. 

3.       Add the zucchini, yellow squash, shallots, and garlic and season with salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until zucchini and squash are crisp-tender, about 6-8 minutes.

4.       Add evaporated milk and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes.

5.       Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in ½ cup panko and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese.

6.       Transfer the mixture to the 2-quart baking dish and sprinkle with remaining ½ cup panko and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese.  Season with salt and pepper.

7.       Bake until the top is golden, about 10 minutes.

Nutritional Information (serves 6): 164 calories, 5.3g fat, 8mg cholesterol, 21.1g carbohydrates, 2.3g fiber, 5.9g sugar, 8.9g protein

Weight Watchers points per serving:  4 points plus