Meatballs with Tomato and Zucchini Medley

Use this one-dish meal to easily add a few servings of vegetables to your day. Serve it in bowls with crusty whole grain bread or spoon it ver whole wheat fettuccine.

Ingredients:
1/2 pound extra-lean ground beef or ground turkey breast
1/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
1 egg
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 zuchinni, halved lengthwise and sliced
1 yellow squash, halved lengthwise and sliced
1 can (16 ounces) Italian-style cut tomatoes
1 can (16 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Sprig basil, for garnish

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the beef or turkey, bread crumbs, egg, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, the Italian seasoning, and 4 tablespoons of the cheese. Form into balls the size of walnuts.

Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Working in batches, add the meatballs and cook for 15 minutes, leaving drippings in the skillet. Repeat to cook the remaining meatballs.

In the same skillet in warm drippings over medium-high heat, add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, or until the onion is tender. Stir in the zuchini, yellow squash, cut tomatoes (with juice), crushed tomatoes, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, the remaining 2 tablespoons cheese, and themeatballs. Heat to boiling. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. Stir in the chopped basil. Garnish with the basil sprig.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition per serving: 280 calories, 20 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 23 g protein, 25 g carbohydrate, 6 g dietary fiber, 88 mg cholesterol, 646 mg sodium