Recipe: Summer Garden Vegetable Medley

SUMMER GARDEN VEGETABLE MEDLEY

"This recipe includes many of the vegetables found in your garden. Substitute yellow squash for zucchini or a combination of both. Add carrots, or eggplant or whatever you have in the garden."

3 medium zucchini (7 to 8 inches) or 5 small (4 to 5 inches)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 bell pepper or any pepper variety, seeded & cut into strips
6 trimmed, thinly sliced green onions with tops included
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon toasted cumin seeds, ground*
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Wash and thinly slice squash and set aside. Prepare all other vegetables and set aside.

Heat a non-stick skillet or wok over medium heat. Add oil. When oil is very hot, add peppers, onions and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add zucchini and tomatoes and continue cooking for 5 minutes.

Sprinkle with ground cumin, salt and pepper, stir. Serve hot or cold.

*TO TOAST CUMIN SEEDS:
Heat a heavy skillet over low heat. Add the cumin seeds and shake the skillet periodically. When their aroma begins to be noticed, after about 5 minutes, remove the skillet from the heat. Pour seeds into a mortar, allow to cool then grind. Or use a spice grinder.

Makes 6 servings
Source: Ron Wolford, Extension Educator-Urban Horticulture and Gardening, and Drusilla Banks, Extension Educator-Nutrition and Wellness, University of Illinois Extension