Did you know the Italian word “zucca” means “squash?”

Zucchini is a spectacularly low calorie and delicious “summer squash,” as it is harvested in the summer months. Although we consider zucchini a vegetable due to its savory flavor and low caloric content (100g (2/3 cup) of zucchini = 15 calories), botanically zucchini is a fruit.

Zucchini can be consumed in various ways such as sautéed and added to egg white quiches, pasta dishes, fajitas, and veggie wraps/sandwiches, layered in a lasagna and casseroles, cooked straight on the grill, or eaten raw dipped in hummus or a Greek yogurt tzatziki dip.

Impress your friends by being creative with how you cut and present your zucchini, as featured in this week’s recipe, Zucchini Linguini!

Low cholesterol recipe of Zucchini Linguini:

Use a peeler to make thick linguini from a zucchini.

Yield: 2 serving (1 serving =1 cup)

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp of olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 medium zucchini
• 2 Tablespoon of Asiago cheese
• 1/4 tsp of cracked black pepper

Directions:

Peel a zucchini from one end to the other making long shreds of zucchini. Continue shredding the zucchini until you reach the middle where the seeds start to show. In a skillet, heat 1 tsp of olive oil and garlic on medium heat. Add the zucchini shreds on the skillet and cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes. Place the cooked zucchini shreds on a plate and sprinkle with asiago cheese and cracked black pepper. Serve hot or cold.

Nutrition Information Per Serving:

Calories: 104 kcal
Fat: 8g
Cholesterol: 10 mg
Carbohydrate: 6g
Dietary Fiber: 1g
Protein: 4g
Sodium: 105 mg