Stuffed zucchini: a full meal

When looking to add vegetables to a meal, zucchini is a very common veggie to use. This recipe was done several times, in different presentations and with different side dishes, but it always included some type of meat to make it a full meal. So, this time I went with different ingredients to make it as good but without meat. This is what it was used, and it turned out very good.

Stuffed zucchini

INGREDIENTS:

4 medium zucchinis

1 large green pepper, chopped

1 cup walnuts, chopped

1 cup fresh ricotta type cheese

2 thyme sprigs

1/4 tsp oregano

2 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

In a pan with oil at medium heat, add the green pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes stirring frequently, season with salt and pepper.

Put aside to cool down.

In a large bowl add the ricotta, walnuts, thyme, oregano, green pepper, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix all the ingredients together.

Slice the zucchini lengthwise in the middle, and remove the inside with a spoon creating little canoes. You can save them for a filler for another dish.

Take the zucchini canoes and fill them up with the mixture prepared.

Put the halves back together, they can be held together with toothpicks.

In a baking sheet add parchment paper and place the zucchinis, drizzle olive oil over them.

Bake at 375ºF in the oven for 25-30 minutes, until cooked through.

To Serve:

It's suggested to place the zucchinis over a bed of spinach, with a side of rice.

Calabazas rellenas

INGREDIENTES:

4 calabazas medianas

1 chile morrón verde grande, cortado

1 taza de nueces, machacada

1 taza de requesón fresco

2 ramitas de tomillo

1/4 cucharadita de orégano

2 cucharaditas de aceite de oliva

sal y pimienta al gusto

DIRECTIONS:

En un sarten con aceite, a fuego medio agregar el chile morrón. Cocinar por unos dos minutos y sazonar con sal y pimienta.

Retirarlo del fuego y ponerlo a un lado para que se ponga a temperatura ambiente.

En un tazón agregar el requesón, nueces, tomillo, orégano, chile morrón, y una pizca de sal y pimienta. Mezclar todos los ingredientes, hasta formar un tipo de pasta.

Cortar las calabazas a la mitad del lado más largo. Retirar el relleno, dejando como unas pequeñas canoas. Este relleno se puede guardad para otro platillo.

Toma las canoas de calabaza y rellenar con la mezcla preparada.

Poner las mitades juntas ya rellenas, se pueden mantener juntas con palillos.

En una charola con papel encerado posicionar las calabazas y agregarles un poco de aceite de oliva arriba.

Cocinar a 190 grados centígrados, por 25 a 30 minutos, hasta que las calabazas se vean cocinadas.

Para servir:

Se sugiere poner las calabazas sobre una cama de espinacas, y acompañarlas con arroz.

#cooking #vegan #zucchini