It’s the height of the summer when the Saratoga Farmers’ Market has a whole array of summer squash including zucchini, yellow crookneck, patty pan, eight ball and more. Mix and match the squash in the Summer Squash Stir-fry recipe below. Stir-fry cooking is a quick way to get dinner on the table since it’s done at high heat cooking the vegetables quickly. If you don’t have a wok, any skillet will do.
Add variety to your stir-fry by adding in some broccoli, carrots, scallions, and garlic. One trick to keep in mind when stir-frying is to thinly cut the harder vegetables, like broccoli and carrots, so they will cook at the same rate are the softer vegetables, like the squash. Keep stirring the vegetables around the wok or skillet to keep them from burning.
The latest advice for a healthy diet is to make half your plate fruits and/or vegetables. So pile a cup of summer squash stir-fry on your plate, add some rice and 3-6 ounces of stir-fried meat, if desired. Don’t forget to pick up some farm fresh milk while you’re at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market to round out your meal.
Summer Squash Stir-fry
Ingredients:
2 tablespoon lite soy sauce
2 tablespoon cooking sherry or water
2 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon oil
3 cups assorted summer squash*, cut in 2 inch by ½ inch sticks
1 cup broccoli*, cut in 1 inch pieces
½ cup scallions* or leeks, thinly sliced
1 large carrot*, thinly sliced into coins
3 cloves garlic*, minced or pressed
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
Directions:
In a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, and sherry; set aside.
Place a wok over medium heat; when wok is hot, add sesame seeds and stir until golden (about 2 minutes). Remove from wok and set aside. Add oil to wok, when hot add garlic, ginger, and vegetables; stir-fry for about 7 minutes.
Stir in soy sauce mixture; reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook until vegetables are tender-crisp (4-7 minutes). Serve vegetables sprinkled with sesame seeds. Makes 4 servings.
Nutrition per serving: 110 calories, 6 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 340 mg sodium, 8 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 4 g protein, 70% DV Vitamin A, 60% DV Vitamin C.
Ingredients marked with an asterisk (*) are available at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market on High Rock Avenue. The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open on Wednesdays from 3-6 pm and Saturdays from 9-1 pm. For information about food preservation and nutrition contact Diane Whitten at Cornell Cooperative Extension at 885-8995or dwhitten@cornell.edu.
