I’m sure you’ve had those scenarios where you are about to prepared a dish for dinner, and then you think, “If I eat that one more time, I just might lose my mind.” Yep, that was me on Sunday night. The wife purchased some summer squash for us to sauté with onions and olive oil. Add a little cracked black pepper, and it’s a nice healthy side dish. On Sunday, it sounds like hell on a plate. Fortunately the wife remembered the August issue of Eating Well has some squash recipes so you don’t get stuck in a rut. And I think I found a new favorite side dish. Think potato pancakes, but a lot healthier!

photo from eatingwell.com
PARMESAN SQUASH CAKES

NUTRITION PROFILE:
Low Calorie | Low Carb | Low Sodium | Healthy Weight

Makes 4 servings
ACTIVE TIME: 25 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 35 minutes
EASE OF PREPARATION: Moderate

1 large egg
2/3 cup finely chopped shallots
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 cups shredded seeded summer squash (2-3 medium, about 1 pound; see Tip)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Please go here for information on how to cook this dish.

NUTRITION INFORMATION:
Per serving:
130 calories;
8 g fat (3 g sat, 4 g mono);
62 mg cholesterol;
 9 g carbohydrate;
7 g protein;
1 g fiber;
322 mg sodium;
406 mg potassium.

Nutrition bonus:
 Vitamin C (35% daily value),
Calcium & Vitamin A (15% dv).
1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 vegetable, 1 lean meat, 1/2 fat

WIDE-BODY NOTE: We were short of shallots, so I substituted some green onions and a bit of purple onion. I think chives would also be a great substitute. The flavor is really good with these cakes, but I want to experiment with them some more. Maybe a little cayenne pepper in the mix, maybe a small dab of sour cream or fresh parmesan as a topping would add some spice and a little creamy texture. Or try some fresh lemon zest for a little zip of citrus.

BONUS NOTE: My six year old that the cakes tasted pretty good. He is like a lot of other six year old boys in that they don’t like eating their vegetables. So, it was nice to see him eat this.