Pick Tennessee Products offers this recipe for a traditional Southern summer favorite, fried green tomatoes:

1⁄4 cup White Lily all-purpose flour
2 egg whites, slightly beaten
2 teaspoons dry buttermilk ranch dressing
1⁄2 cup fine dry bread crumbs or all-purpose cornmeal
3 medium green tomatoes, cut into 1⁄4-inch slices
6 tablespoons Wesson oil
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Place flour in a shallow dish and set aside. Combine egg whites and dry dressing mix in another shallow dish; set aside.  Place crumbs or cornmeal in another shallow dish. Coat each tomato slice with flour, then dip in egg mixture, then coat with crumbs or cornmeal.

In a large skillet, heat half of oil over medium-high heat.  Arrange a single layer of coated tomatoes in skillet. Cook for 2 minutes on each side or until slices are golden brown on both sides.

Remove from skillet. Cook remaining slices, adding additional oil to skillet as needed. Sprinkle fried tomatoes with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Makes 4-6 side dish servings.

Serves 6; 1 gramwich per serving

The protein in this after-school snack will keep the kids satisfied until dinner.

• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons fat-free caramel topping
• 3 low-fat graham crackers (3 rectangular flats), each broken into 2 squares
• 1 large apple

In a small bowl, stir together the peanut butter and caramel topping. Spread on the graham crackers.

Holding the apple upright, cut 6 lengthwise slices, each 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide, from the sides. (Discard the core and reserve any remaining apple for munching.) Place one apple slice on each graham cracker square.

Nutrition Analysis (per serving)

• Calories 131
• Total Fat 6.0 g
• Saturated Fat 1.0 g
• Trans Fat 0.0 g
• Polyunsaturated Fat 1.5 g
• Monounsaturated Fat 2.5 g
• Cholesterol 0 mg
• Sodium 97 mg
• Carbohydrates 18 g
• Fiber 2 g
• Sugars 10 g
• Protein 3 g

Dietary Exchanges

• 1 carbohydrate
• 1 fat

This recipe is reprinted with permission from The New American Heart Association Cookbook, Eighth Edition, Copyright © 2010 by the American Heart Association. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, a division of Random House, Inc. Available from booksellers everywhere.

Serves 4

While the pasta is cooking, you can prepare the supersimple seven-ingredient sauce and have this dish put together in minutes! It’s delicious either hot or cold.

• 8 ounces dried whole-grain spaghetti
• 1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
• 2 medium green onions, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cider vinegar or plain rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Prepare the spaghetti using the package directions, omitting the salt. Drain well in a colander. Transfer to a platter.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients. Stir into the spaghetti. Serve for a hot entrée or cover and refrigerate for a cold entrée.

Nutrition Analysis (per serving)

• Calories 290
• Total Fat 8.5 g
• Saturated Fat 1.5 g
• Trans Fat 0.0 g
• Polyunsaturated Fat 2.5 g
• Monounsaturated Fat 4.0 g
• Cholesterol 0 mg
• Sodium 132 mg
• Carbohydrates 45 g
• Fiber 7 g
• Sugars 4 g
• Protein 10 g

Dietary Exchanges

• 3 starch
• 1/2 very lean meat
• 1 fat

This recipe is reprinted with permission from The New American Heart Association Cookbook, Eighth Edition, Copyright © 2010 by the American Heart Association. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, a division of Random House, Inc. Available from booksellers everywhere.

Serves 8; 1 cup per serving

Wake up and smell the oatmeal! The pumpkin-spiced cereal cooks as you sleep, so all you need to do is sprinkle it with brown sugar and walnuts.

Cooking spray

Oatmeal

• 2 cups uncooked steel-cut oats
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin (not pie filling)
• 6 cups water
• 1 cup fat-free half-and-half
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping

• 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon chopped walnuts

Lightly spray a 3 1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, stir together the oats, 1/2 cup brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir in the pumpkin. Gradually stir in the water and half-and-half. Stir in the raisins and vanilla.

Ladle the mixture into the slow cooker. Cook, covered, on low for 7 1/2 to 8 1/2 hours. Serve topped with the remaining brown sugar and walnuts.

Cook’s Tip: Refrigerate any leftover oatmeal for up to three days. Put the desired amount in a microwaveable bowl, cover it, and reheat it in the microwave on 100 percent power (high), adding a bit of fat-free milk as necessary for the desired consistency. (The chilled oatmeal will have thickened.)

Cook’s Tip on Steel-Cut Oats: Steel-cut oats, also known as Irish oats or pinhead oats, are better than other oats for use in slow-cooker recipes because they can withstand the longer cooking time without getting mushy.

Nutrition Analysis (per serving)

• Calories 360
• Total Fat 6.5 g
• Saturated Fat 0.5 g
• Trans Fat 0.0 g
• Polyunsaturated Fat 3.5 g
• Monounsaturated Fat 1.5 g
• Cholesterol 0 mg
• Sodium 44 mg
• Carbohydrates 70 g
• Fiber 11 g
• Sugars 33 g
• Protein 10 g

Dietary Exchanges

• 2 starch
• 1 1/2 fruit
• 1 carbohydrate
• 1 fat

This recipe is reprinted with permission from The New American Heart Association Cookbook, Eighth Edition, Copyright © 2010 by the American Heart Association. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, a division of Random House, Inc. Available from booksellers everywhere.