Dinner tonight! Calabacitas

For those who’ve never heard of it before, calabacitas is a classic Southwestern blend of stewed vegetables including zucchini, tomatoes and corn. This colorful mix is simply flavored with onion and garlic, with a little minced jalapeno to round out the harmony. Serve it topped with crumbled cheese; you can make the whole dish in less than an hour.

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Calabacitas

Total time: 35 minutes

Servings: 6 to 8

Note: Adapted from Sandi Romero. Cut 1 zucchini into 1/2-inch rounds and 1 ear of corn crosswise into 2-inch pieces before cooking to garnish this dish as pictured (the larger pieces may need slightly longer cooking time).

1/4 cup oil

1 cup finely chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 jalapeno, minced (or more to taste)

2 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped

4 large zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1/4 -inch slices (see note)

4 ears corn, shucked (about 3 cups) (see note)

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup grated queso fresco

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the oil, then the onion, garlic and jalapeno. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent, 3 to 5 minutes.

2. Stir in the tomatoes and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes begin to break down.

3. Stir in the zucchini, corn, salt and pepper. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are just tender, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and check the seasoning.

4. Place the vegetables in a serving bowl, sprinkle with the cheese and serve immediately.

Each of 8 servings: 155 calories; 5 grams protein; 19 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams fiber; 9 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 2 mg. cholesterol; 326 mg. sodium.