Stuffed Zucchini

Stuffed Zucchini
Originally uploaded by Marni Molina

I was thumbing through the August/September 2008 issue of Living Without and was inspired by the Mediterranean Stuffed Zucchini recipe. It looked like it would be an easy recipe to veganize, so I went for it. I also made it Italian rather than Mediterranean. I deleted ingredients and replaced them with others until eventually, it had morphed into what I feel comfortable calling a La Vegan Loca original recipe.

What's more, it tastes great and it's healthy as well as low in fat. Yay!

• 4 medium zucchini
  
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
  
• 4 cloves of garlic (or less if you're a wuss), minced
  
• 1/2 8-ounce package sliced mushrooms, chopped
• 1/2 cup cooked rice
  
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
  
• 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced
  
• 3 tablespoons Bac'Uns
  
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning blend
  
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Oil a 9x13" baking dish.
   
2. Trim the ends off the zucchini and cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out center flesh with a melon baller or small spoon, leaving at least a 1/4-inch shell to make 8 "boats." Chop zucchini flesh and set aside. Place zucchini boats in prepared baking dish.
   
3. Place oil in large skillet and saute' onions and garlic over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and saute' an additional 3 minutes. Add cooked rice and reserved zucchini flesh and continue cooking another 2 minutes.
   
4. Remove skillet from heat and stir in chopped tomato, cilantro, Bac'Uns, Italian seasonings, salt and pepper, tasting as needed. Fill zucchini boats with equal amounts of stuffing.
   
5. Place zucchini in preheated oven and bake uncovered for about 30 minutes. Serve hot.

Healthy and delicious. A great way to start using up all that late summer produce.  It also seems like it would be a great way to use whatever you have on hand - spices, a bit of pasta, cooked beans, whatever!  Get creative and have fun.