Light-as-a-Feather Zucchini Casserole

If you've ever actually had a zucchini plant, you know they just keep giving - and there's only so much zucchini you can give away! Well just as you've run out of recipes and grateful friends followed, registered dietitian Marlene cook is coming to the rescue with a fabulous recipe from her book, Eat More of What You Love.

We have talked before about how casseroles aren't always consistent with managing diabetes. Many include dense carbohydrate foods like pasta, potatoes, or rice, and the creamy casseroles can be high in fat as well. But Marlene's light as a feather zucchini casserole is a diabetes delight - low carbohydrates, low fat, low sodium, but also creamy and rich. It's just another way my talented dietician friends proved that healthy and delicious CAN go together.

Here's what you need:

• 4 teaspoons tub margarine

• 6 cups or about 1 and a half pounds coarsely grated zucchini

• 1 cup finely chopped onion

• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

• 1 cup low-fat evaporated milk

• 1 TSP Dijon mustard

• 1/2 tsp garlic salt

• 1/8 TSP freshly ground black pepper

• 3/4 cup shredded reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese

• the whites from 2 large eggs

• 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

To prepare this casserole:

• pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees and lightly spray a 9 by 9 by 2 inch baking dish with nonstick spray

• in a large nonstick skillet heat 1 TSP of the margarine over medium heat

• add the zucchini onion and pepper and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until the liquids have evaporated

• transfer this mixture to a bowl and set aside

• add 2 teaspoons of margarine to the skillet over medium heat then add the flour and cook for one minute while constantly stirring

• add the milk, Dijon mustard, garlic salt, and pepper, and whisk until this mixture thickens about four or five minutes

• remove this sauce from the heat

• stir in the cheese and then the zucchini and let cool for a few minutes

• meanwhile beat the egg whites in a small bowl until soft peaks form

• gently fold the egg whites into the cooled zucchini and pour the casserole mix into your baking dish

• melt the final teaspoon of margarine combined with your bread crumbs. Sprinkle this on top and bake for 30 to 40 minutes until heated through.

Marlene's recipe makes 8 servings and each serving is 90 calories, 10 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 3 grams total fat, 7 grams protein, and 250 milligrams sodium. Now that is a healthy casserole! But it's still creamy and cheesy. You not only will enjoy this fabulous dish tonight but you'll also know from now on where to get rid of all that zucchini!