Here’s a delicious end-of-summer dish that’s healthier, easy on the waistline and the budget.  Make it from fresh produce from your garden, or local farmer’s market or organic grocery.  Serve it as a main dish, or a fancy side-dish.

Dr. Norris J. Chumley’s Greens Gratin

Serves 4

1 small bunch beet greens (save the beets and cook them separately for another dish)

1 small bunch greens – kale, chard, spinach – as you like and what’s available

2 large, ripe tomatoes

¾ cup bread crumbs

½ cup shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese

Sauté the beet tops and greens together with 1 tsp olive oil and 1/8 cup water in a covered skillet.  While they’re cooking, prepare an 8″x8″ baking pan (preferably glass or ceramic) and preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Slice the tomatoes thinly and and place 3 or 4 slices on the bottom of the baking dish. Add a thin sprinkling of bread crumbs.  Now, add a layer of greens (not fully cooked, just lightly braised), and a layer of shredded cheese.  Repeat the layering with the tomatoes, bread crumbs, greens and cheese.  Make the top layer bread crumbs with a tiny bit of the cheese.  Bake, covered, for 30-40 minutes until the mixture is bubbling.  Remove from the oven and let it rest for 5-10 minutes, covered, before serving.