Baked Zucchini Stuffed with Couscous

Baked Stuffed Zucchini with a side salad and tomatoes

I made this recipe for the first time tonight.   While it is a little more time consuming than I generally prefer, it was pretty simple to put together and the end result was very good.  This recipe comes from Joy of Cooking: All About Vegetarian Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker, and Ethan Becker.  My toddler liked the couscous with the mixture but did not eat any of the zucchini shell.  I served this with a salad.

Prep Time: about 15 minutes
Active Time: 10 minutes stove top
Cook Time: 32 minutes oven

Total Time: About an hour but you're not actively doing something the whole time and you get "breaks" between prepping and cooking so you can entertain your child if need be.

Servings: 4 

Ingredients:

2 medium zucchinis
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 c chopped onions
1/3 c quick-cooking, whole-wheat, or spelt couscous
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/4 c vegetable stock
1 Tbs dried currants
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 Tbs pine nuts, toasted

Directions:

-Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).  Lightly oil a baking dish.  
-Trip the stems and halve lengthwise 2 medium zucchinis, sprinkle with salt and ground black pepper to taste. 
- Place teh zucchini cut side down in the baking dish.
-Bake unti lthe cut side is lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes.
-Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). 
-Let the zucchini cool slightly.
-Using a teaspoon, scoop out the centers of th zucchini, leaving four 1/4-inch-thick shells.
-Finely chop the pulp.
-Heat in a large skillet over medium heat - olive oil and onions, cook for about 5 minutes. 
-Add chopped zucchini, couscous, and minced garlic. 
-Cook, stirring, until coated with the oil.
-Stir in: vegetable stock, currants, and ground cinnamon.
-Bring to a boil.  Cover and cook over low heat for 5 minutes.
-Uncover and let cool to room temperature - I let it cool for about 5 minutes
-Stir in pine nuts.  
-Spoon the couscous mixture into th zucchini boats, dividing it evenly.
-Arrange in the baking dish and cover with aluminum foil.
-Bake until heated through, about 20 minutes - I only cooked it 10 minutes and it was good
-Serve hot.  

Easy Greek Salad

Greece is one of my favorite countries.  One of my friend's mom lived in Greece for a long time.  She makes a salad similar to this.  I love the fact it does not include lettuce.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Servings: 2

 

Ingredients:

1 cucumber

1 quart cherry tomatoes

1 Tbs balsamic vinegar

1 Tbs olive oil 

feta cheese

Directions:

Wash and dice cucumber, put in bowl.  Wash tomatoes and add to the cucumber. Add feta cheese (however much you like).  Top with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.  Mix well and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Optional:

Add bell peppers, turnips, olives, purple onions, or any other none lettuce veggie you like.  Substitute balsamic vinegar and olive oil for Greek salad dressing.

Easy Spinach Lasagna

I am constantly looking for quick, easy, good , and toddler friendly vegetarian recipes.  I got this recipe from Campbell's Kitchen.  Assembling this lasagna is quick and easy.  The original recipe uses regular lasagna noodles, I use whole wheat.  When cooking whole wheat pasta or noodles, you may want to add a few more minutes to the cooking time.  I did not precook the whole wheat lasagna noodles and they turned out great.  Here is the easy spinach lasagna recipe with my changes.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

1 container (15 ounces) ricotta cheese

1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained

8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese (about 2 cups)

1 jar (24 ounces) Prego® Fresh Mushroom Italian Sauce

6 uncooked whole wheat lasagna noodles

1/4 cup water 

Directions: 

1) Stir the ricotta cheese, spinach and 1 cup mozzarella cheese in a medium bowl.

2) Spread 1 cup sauce in a 2-quart shallow baking dish. 

3) Top with 3 lasagna noodles and half the spinach mixture. 

4) Repeat the layers. 

5) Top with the remaining sauce. 

6) Slowly pour water around the inside edges of the baking dish. Cover with foil.

7) Bake at 400°F. for 40-50 minutes (50 minutes if using whole wheat noodles). 

8) Uncover the dish. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese. 

9) Bake for 10 minutes or until it's hot and bubbling. 

10) Let stand for 10 minutes.