Tilapia & Summer Vegetables

Wrapping vegetables and fish in a foil packet for grilling or baking is a foolproof way to get moist, tender results. Tilapia and summer vegetables pair with olives and capers for a Mediterranean flair.

Ingredients

• 1 cup quartered cherry, or grape tomatoes
• 1 cup diced summer squash
• 1 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 12 green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup pitted and coarsely chopped black olives
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon capers, rinsed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
• 1 pound Tilapia fillets, cut into 4 equal portions

Preparation

1. Preheat grill to medium. (No grill? See Oven Variation, below.)
2. Combine tomatoes, squash, onion, green beans, olives, lemon juice, oregano, oil, capers, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl.
3. To make a packet, lay two 20-inch sheets of foil on top of each other (the double layers will help protect the contents from burning); generously coat the top piece with cooking spray. Place one portion of Tilapia in the center of the foil. Sprinkle with some of the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper, then top with about 3/4 cup of the vegetable mixture.
4. Bring the short ends of the foil together, leaving enough room in the packet for steam to gather and cook the food. Fold the foil over and pinch to seal. Pinch seams together along the sides. Make sure all the seams are tightly sealed to keep steam from escaping. Repeat with more foil, cooking spray and the remaining fish, salt, pepper and vegetables.
5. Grill the packets until the fish is cooked through and the vegetables are just tender, about 5 minutes. To serve, carefully open both ends of the packets and allow the steam to escape. Use a spatula to slide the contents onto plates. Oven Variation: Preheat oven to 425°F. Place green beans in a microwavable bowl with 1 tablespoon water. Cover and microwave on High until the beans are just beginning to cook, about 30 seconds. Drain and add to the other vegetables (Step 2). Assemble packets (Steps 3-4). Bake the packets directly on an oven rack until the tilapia is cooked through and the vegetables are just tender, about 20 minutes.

Nutrition

Per serving: 181 calories; 7 g fat ( 1 g sat , 4 g mono ); 57 mg cholesterol; 8 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 24 g protein; 2 g fiber; 435 mg sodium; 591 mg potassium.

Provençal Summer Vegetables

This delicious side dish of layered tomatoes, eggplant, summer squash and leeks bursts with fresh flavor. To make it even more colorful, use half a summer squash and half a zucchini. Try it alongside any grilled meat. Leftovers are delicious sandwiched between slices of crusty whole-grain bread.

Total Time: 2 1/4 hours

Ingredients (Makes 6 servings, about 2/3 cup each)

• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 cups thinly sliced leeks, rinsed and well drained
• 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground sea salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 3 large tomatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 small summer squash or zucchini, sliced diagonally 1/4 inch thick
• 1 small eggplant, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1/3 cup finely shredded Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram or 1 teaspoon dried

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until soft and beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Add wine and cook, stirring, 1 minute more. Transfer the mixture to a shallow 2-quart baking dish.
3. Layer tomatoes, summer squash (or zucchini) and eggplant slices in an alternating shingle pattern over the leek mixture (they will overlap quite a bit). If you have extra vegetable slices, save them for another use. Sprinkle the vegetables with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil.
4. Bake the vegetables for 1 1/4 hours. Sprinkle cheese and marjoram over the top. Continue baking until the edges are browned and the vegetables are very tender, about 15 minutes more. Let cool for about 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Per serving: 185 calories; 12 g fat ( 3 g sat , 7 g mono ); 9 mg cholesterol; 13 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 5 g protein; 4 g fiber; 323 mg sodium; 457 mg potassium.