The goodness of the season...

Take a moment to picture a farmer’s produce stand: the rainbow of colors, the rhythm of shapes, the earthy rich perfume of just-picked vegetables. It's Summer at its best...

Not only do veggies offer wondrous variety in taste and texture, but their virtues are also firmly grounded in scientific research. And the vegetables densest in nutrients happen to be those lowest in carbs. Low-sugar veggies are nutrient powerhouses, dense in fiber and antioxidants, but low on the glycemic index.

So here are some great veggie sides just right for Summer — and so good for you!!

For this gratin, use all the interesting green and yellow summer squashes (pattypan, scallop, crookneck, butterstick, etc.) that you can find at the farmers' market. FOR THE ONIONS: 2 Tbs. olive oil 2 medium onions (14 oz. total), thinly sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced TO ASSEMBLE THE GRATIN: 1-1/4 lb. ripe red tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/4-inch slices 3/4 lb. (about 2 small) zucchini or other green summer squash, cut into 1/4-inch slices on the bias 3/4 lb. (about 2 small) yellow summer squash or golden zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch slices on the bias 3 Tbs. olive oil 1/4 cup fresh thyme leaves 1 tsp. coarse salt 1-1/4 cups freshly grated parmigiano reggiano Freshly ground black pepper to taste To cook the onions — In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté, stirring frequently, until limp and golden brown, about 20 min. Reduce the heat to medium-low if they're browning too quickly. Add the garlic and sauté until soft and fragrant, 1 to 2 min. Spread the onions and garlic evenly in the bottom of an oiled 2-qt. shallow gratin dish (preferably oval). Let cool. To assemble the gratin. — Heat the oven to 375°F. Put the tomato slices on a shallow plate to drain for a few minutes and then discard the collected juices. In a medium bowl, toss the zucchini and squash slices with 1-1/2 Tbs. of the olive oil, 2 Tbs. of the thyme, and 1/2 tsp. of the salt. Reserve half of the cheese for the top of the gratin. Sprinkle 1 Tbs. of the thyme over the onions in the gratin. Starting at one end of the baking dish, lay a row of slightly overlapping tomato slices across the width of the dish and sprinkle with a little of the cheese. Next, lay a row of zucchini, overlapping the tomatoes by two-thirds, and sprinkle with cheese. Repeat with a row of squash, and then repeat rows, sprinkling each with cheese, until the gratin is full. Season lightly with pepper and the remaining 1/2 tsp. salt. Drizzle the remaining 1-1/2 Tbs. olive oil over all. Combine the reserved cheese with the remaining 1 Tbs. thyme and sprinkle this over the whole gratin. Cook until well-browned all over and the juices have bubbled for a while and reduced considerably, 65 to 70 min. Let cool for at least 15 min. before serving. Makes 6 servings. 6.4 grams of carbohydrate per serving.

1 large eggplant 1/2 pound Mozzarella or Jack cheese, grated or thinly sliced 4 ounce package thinly sliced pepperoni Ground oregano 1/3 cup almond flour 1/4 cup Keto Crumbs * 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 2 eggs, beaten olive oil Crushed red pepper (optional) Wash eggplant. Slice into 1/2 inch slices. Do not peel. On half of the slices, place Mozzarella or Jack cheese. Top with 2 or 3 pepperoni slices. Sprinkle with oregano. Top with remaining eggplant halves. Combine almond flour, Keto Crumbs, and Parmesan cheese mixed well together on a plate. On another plate, place the beaten eggs. Dip the eggplant on each side first in the egg and then in the crumbs. When well-breaded, place on a baking sheet. Drizzle on each side with about 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Sprinkle with crushed red pepper, if desired. Bake at 375°F. for 15 minutes. Turn with a spatula. Bake for 15 minutes on other side. Serve warm. Great served with a garden-fresh tomato salad! Makes 8 Eggplant Crisps. 2.9 grams of carbohydrate per "crisp." * Keto Crumbs are available from The Low Carb Connoisseur.

My mother was famous for her scalloped potatoes. They were one of her most-requested dishes at family gatherings. Since potatoes are off the menu now that we are low carb, I came up with a signature version of my own with Scalloped Chayote. Chayote are a mexican squash — similar to summer squash in that they have a very mild flavor on their own and easily absorbs other flavors in recipes. In this respect, they can be very much like potatoes, and when bathed in creamy, cheesey sauces and baked, they're hard to tell from the real thing, and exceptionally delicious! Peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced chayote are layered with shredded Gruyere and Cheddar cheeses and chopped fresh parsley, then drizzled with heavy cream and topped with dabs of butter. They make a wonderful side dish for special occasions. I love the buttery taste of Gruyere cheese, but you can substitute standard Swiss if it’s more readily available in your area. Serve the scalloped chayote alongside roast beef, or with ham, pork chops or other simply prepared meats. Sautéed tomatoes and a green salad would complete your meal nicely! Butter 3 medium chayote, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced 1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese (about 4 ounces) 1 cup shredded white Cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces) 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 1 cup heavy cream Salt and freshly ground black pepper Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a baking dish with some of the butter and lay 1/3 of the chayote in the bottom of the dish. Season with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with 1/3 of the cheese and parsley. Repeat twice. Drizzle the heavy cream over the chayote and place several dabs of butter over the top. Bake for 80 to 90 minutes until a knife placed through chayote in center area of pan shows it's tender and cheese is nicely browned. Makes 6 servings — 5.5 grams of carbohydrate per serving.

3 small eggplants (4 to 6 ounces each) 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon basil 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1 teaspoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional) salt freshly ground black pepper Cut eggplants in half lengthwise, leaving stem ends intact. Mix garlic and olive oil in small bowl. Combine oregano, basil, thyme, paprika and red pepper flakes in separate bowl and stir to mix. Lightly brush cut sides of eggplants with garlic-oil mixture. Grill over medium heat, cut side down, until lightly browned (about three minutes.) Lightly brush skin sides with oil mixture. Invert eggplants and brush tops with remaining oil. Sprinkle tops with dried herb mixture and salt and pepper to taste. Continue grilling eggplants, cut side up, until very tender (about 6 to 8 minutes.) Eggplants can be grilled ahead of time and reheated. Excellent served with a little spiced tomato sauce or a spicy salsa! Makes 6 Eggplant halves. 5.8 grams of carbohydrate each.

N E W ! Mama Brings You the Goodness of Flax! Experienced low carb dieters know the humble flax seed can be one of their best friends. Rich in the Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids that have been shown to have many health benefits, and full of fiber and lignans, flax seeds are a fantastic addition to low carb bread, muffins, cookies and cereals. Now, Mama Wisa and the Pleasantville Cookie Company are proud to bring you Mama's Flax Flour — ground flax seeds ready to be used in your favorite recipes! Mama's so convinced of the health benefits, for a limited time she's GIVING AWAY ONE BAG FREE WITH EVERY BAG PURCHASED!!! So take advantage of this great two-for-one sale, and stock up on Mama's Flax Flour today! Flax Flour can be refrigerated or frozen to extend shelf life, so there's no reason not to. Click here to learn more about how flax seeds can be a part of your healthy low carb lifestyle and take advantage of this limited time offer! Pleasantville Cookie Company Not All Low Carb Products Are Alike!