By Tanya Manus

I was greeted by a giant zucchini when I got to work, and I was thrilled.

It’s getting to be the time of year when gardeners complain that they’ve got too much produce, and those of us who aren’t gardeners hope we’re lucky enough to share in the bounty.

I really like zucchini, and I’ve got delicious plans for the big fella that a co-worker left on my desk. One of my favorite recipes for zucchini and squash, called simply Vegetable Medley, comes from the South Beach Diet book. I don’t make it often because it makes a lot, but recently I found a pared down version that serves 2. When I make this, I sometimes omit the asparagus and add tomato.

This dish is so beautiful that you’ll feel like the star of a cooking show as you prepare and serve it. Packed with summery color and flavor, it pairs well meat or fish. The next time a friend or neighbor offers you garden-fresh zucchini, say yes and try this medley.

Vegetable Medley

Serves 2

1/2 medium zucchini, cut into bite-size pieces

1/2 medium summer squash, cut into bite-size pieces

1/2 medium red bell pepper, cut into bite-size pieces

1/2 medium yellow bell pepper, cut into bite-size pieces

1/2 pound fresh asparagus, cut into bite-size pieces

1/2 red onion, cut into bite-size pieces

1- 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

By Jomay Steen

You know how people are always nagging about getting more fruit and vegetables into your diet? Well, the California Table Grape Commission has worked out a few simple, but delicious recipes that will mix the sweetness of grapes into a few dishes that I would never consider making.
That is, until now.
Under their theme of Cruise Global Cuisines with Fresh California Grapes, they introduce these ethnic dishes: Asian Chicken, Ramen and Grape Salad, Black Grape Margarita and Grilled Whole Fish with Minted Grape Relish.
They’re for the adventurous cook, yet so easy that I was able to make them—the Asian Chicken, Ramen and Grape Salad was my favorite. I left out the chicken and it still tasted heavenly. Add the chicken and it’s a main course.

Asian Chicken, Ramen and Grape Salad
1 packet (3 ounces) ramen noodles (any flavor)
1/3 cup slivered almonds
4 cups chopped Romaine lettuce leaves
2 cups shredded Napa cabbage
8 ounces cooked, diced chicken meat (about 2 cups)
1-1/2 cups green seedless California grapes
2 each green onions, sliced

Orange Mustard Dressing
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons honey mustard
2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Break up the ramen noodles in the sealed package. Open carefully and discard the seasoning mix. Put the noodle pieces and the almonds in a dry skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring and tossing constantly until the noodles and nuts are toasty brown about 4 minutes. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, cabbage, chicken meat, grapes and green onions.
Prepare the dressing in a small bowl by whisking together the oil, vinegar, mustard, orange juice concentrate, salt and pepper.
Combine the salad, toasted noodle mix and the dressing. Toss well and serve.
Serves 4.

Black Grape Margaritas
1 cup black seedless California grapes
2 shots (3 ounces) tequila
2 shots (3 ounces) Sweet and Sour Mix
2 cups ice
Lime slices for garnish
Place all ingredients into the bowl of a good blender and puree until blended and slushy, about 2 minutes. Serve in margarita glasses and garnish with a lime slice.
Optional: Coat rim of glass with salt.
Serves 2.

Grilled Whole Fish with Minted Grapes Relish
1 small 1-1/2 pounds striped bass, cleaned and scaled
2 small clusters seedless California grapes
2 thin slices lemon
2 thin slices orange
2 stems fresh mint
Toothpick or wooden skewers soaked in water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Salt and pepper, as desired
Grape Mint Relish
1/2 cup chopped seedless California grapes
1 tablespoon shredded fresh mint
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 pinch salt
With a sharp knife, slash 2 to 3 deep slashes in the side of the fish to ensure quick and even cooking. Stuff the cavity of the fish with grape clusters, citrus slices and mint secure the belly of the fish closed with a toothpick or wooden skewer. The fish can be held like this for up to 24 hours before cooking.
Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Clean the grill grate well. Rub or brush the outside of the fish with vegetable oil and season with plenty of salt and pepper. Grill the whole fish on each side for 4 to 5 minutes or until the skin has crisped and the flesh is white and tender. Remove from the heat. Discard the toothpicks or skewers and serve with Grape and Mint Relish.
Serves 2.

By Jomay Steen
As a way to educate the public on how to avoid heart disease, September has been declared National Cholesterol Education Month. For the entire month, health officials want Americans to dedicate themselves to battling this disease with exercise and by simply changing their diet.
If you’re like me, you will need a few days to figure out a grocery list and check out the pantry. But at the height of harvest, the veggies, fruits and fiber-rich foods will be bountiful. While my friends may join gyms, swim centers or the YMCA, I’m going to park on the far side of the parking lots and try to take a daily stroll in my favorite parks during the month. These are small steps that I KNOW I can do.
If you think you’re the only one teetering on the high cholesterol balancing act, you’re not alone. According to the National Institutes of Health, more than 65 million Americans have high cholesterol. So we should all take a pre-emptive look at our weekly grocery list and daily eating habits.
There are some natural ways to help reduce bad cholesterol levels (LDL, low density lipoprotein). In addition to adopting a regular exercise routine (which for me means walking), there are foods that will help to do the job. According to the NIH, there are foods that lower LDL and help raise the good. Try including these foods each week:
Fiber: The key is to get plenty of fiber which can be found in whole fruit, vegetables and whole grains, cereals, breads and pastas. Whole wheat-pasta costs a little more, it’s quite tasty. Opt for whole fruit, rather than drinking juice.
Fruits and veggies: Add a variety of fruits and vegetables to the daily menu, including putting them in your cereal, smoothies, and serving a side of fruit with each meal. Mushrooms, garlic and onions have all been cited as good options for lowering cholesterol.
Beans: They are healthy and have a lot of fiber. Find ways to add kidney, pinto or other beans to casseroles and soups. Lentils are a healthy choice.
Nuts: Especially walnuts and almonds, but others as well. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), all you need is a handful of nuts per day to get the heart-health benefits.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids: You can get this by eating fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, halibut, canola oil or ground flaxseed. There are even Omega-3 eggs, which you can use in baking. Add the flaxseed to cereals, soup, casseroles, and when baking muffins and bread.
Olive Oil: The Mayo Clinic reports that the abundance of antioxidants found in extra virgin olive oil will help to lower bad cholesterol while not touching the good. The FDA recommends two tablespoons per day for heart-health benefits.
Limited servings: Foods that make the bad cholesterol rise include trans fats in the form of hydrogenated oils and fats and saturated fats and cholesterol, which comes from animal products. Decreasing the foods that have those factors is advised.

By Tanya Manus

One of the great pleasures of summer is picking berries and eating them, sun-warmed, straight from the vine.

When I was little, a visit to my grandparents’ house in Bremerton, Wash., was never complete without picking blackberries and raspberries with my grandmother. Their 1/4-mile-long driveway was lined with berry bushes, and after we picked them, my grandmother washed them and seasoned them lightly with sugar. We’d eat them by the bowlful for breakfast. I’d love another one of those mornings.

My passion for blackberries is shared by the entire city of Bremerton which, every summer, hosts a Blackberry Festival. I had the pleasure of attending it a few years ago and left with mini cookbook chock full of ideas for enjoying blackberries. Some of the recipes from the Blackberry Festival are perfect for us in the Midwest because they make use of frozen berries.

One of my favorite uses for blackberries, because they are scarce here, is to use them as garnish and show them off. A few fresh berries from the grocery store - and maybe a pesticide-free pansy or two from the garden - nicely dress up a lemon cake. I’ve also used individual berries as simple, colorful decorations on coconut cupcakes.

Or douse some fresh berries and fruit in wine and make yourself a nice sangria (recipe follows).

Getting a berry craving yet? Try these, from the Blackberry Festival’s “A Berry Nice Cookbook.”

For frozen berries:

Blackberry Cobbler

4 to 6 cups frozen blackberries

2 cups sugar

2 cups water

1/3 cup cornstarch

Bring to a boil in a saucepan, stirring constantly. Pour into a 10- by 12-inch baking pan. Drop topping by spoonsful onto berry mixture.

Topping:

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup oil

1 cup buttermilk

Mix dry ingredients together. Add liquid. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes.

For fresh berries:

Black Sangria

Cherries, blackberries and seedless black grapes

1 strip of peel from a whole lemon

1/2 cup strongly brewed black tea

1 bottle dry red wine

club soda (chilled to taste)

Place fruits and lemon peel in a 2-1/2-quart pitcher. Add the tea and enough wine to cover. Chill remaining wine. Before serving, pour remaining wine in the pitcher. Stir and add ice and club soda to taste.