Mediterranean recipe uses fresh veggies

Mediterranean is a key word in this recipe, with the plentiful use of fresh vegetables among its implications. Seasonal tomatoes and zucchini from your back yard or local farmers' market would be perfect ingredients to accompany the chicken and orzo, the tiny, rice-shaped pasta.

The recipe is from "Betty Crocker's Eat and Lose Weight" cookbook (Hungry Minds, 2000, $21.95). The book offers an organized plan: You set your weight loss goal, then eat sensibly, guided by the cookbook's recipes, and using exercise as an adjunct to the eating plan.

The recipe takes about half an hour to make and has 4 grams of fat per serving.

Mediterranean Chicken

With Rosemary Orzo

Preparation: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch strips

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 1/3 cups uncooked orzo pasta

14 1/2-ounce can fat-free chicken broth

1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into fourths, then cut crosswise into slices (1 1/2 cups)

3 plum tomatoes, cut into fourths and sliced (1 1/2 cups)

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)

Spray 10-inch skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. Add chicken; stir-fry about 5 minutes or until brown. Stir in garlic, pasta and broth. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 8 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed.

Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 5 minutes, stirring once, until bell pepper is crisp-tender and pasta is tender.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 300 cal., 4 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 50 mg chol., 820 mg sodium, 42 g carbo., 4 g dietary fiber, 28 g pro.