It’s late summer and the zucchini plague is upon us. They are everywhere. Coworkers leave them on the break room table. Roadside farm markets have bushels of them. Neighbors leave them on your porch in the dark. What’s a person to do with them?!

This is an old family recipe that I have updated to make it more diet friendly. It is a very hearty stew. It has a fresh Italian taste. This is one of my favorite uses of summer zucchini. For bandsters, these vegetables soften and are easy to chew and digest. Dice the chicken sausage to the size that works best for you. It is hearty enough to omit the sausage and make it a vegetable stew if chicken is difficult for you to eat.

Chicken Sausage Zucchini Stew

8 oz. chicken sausage of your choice
1 cup celery, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 pound zucchini, chopped
½ cup onion, chopped
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
2 cups low fat chicken broth
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. oregano
½ tsp. Italian seasonings
2 packets of Splenda sweetener
½ tsp. basil
¼ tsp. garlic powder

Dice the chicken sausages. Lightly spray a Dutch oven with non-stick spray. Toss in the chicken sausage and brown. Add the remaining ingredients, stirring to gently until the stew begins to boil. Reduce the heat. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.