You know how everybody gets so worried about getting enough protein or feeling satisfied when it comes to plant based food and I do not blame them, because let's be honest, you really need to make sure you are getting enough nutrients and not only eating empty carbs all day.
I am not a nutritionist nor I do like to count calories or macros, but I do definitely feel when a meal satisfies me or not or if I need to eat tons of it just because my body is asking for more.
I used to love stuffed zucchini back home, my mom used and still make the best stuffed zucchinis, and even though I have made this dish countless times before, this time the filling combination is my absolute favorite.
Here I am using the "lebanese" or "mexican" zucchinis, but feel free to use the regular ones that are more common in the US (the darker green ones).
The easiest and less time consuming way to make this dish is to core the zucchinis the night before! Yes, I have found that once this step is done and out of the way, making this dish becomes less overwhelming!
To core the zucchinis, you need a corer, and you need to make sure you do not break the zucchini by pushing too hard, an easy way to know how far you can go when you core, is to measure the zucchini with your corer and place your thumb a little lower while you core. Not sure if that was clear. Anyway, good luck! lol It will get better for sure with practice.
So after you core the zucchinis, and make sure to preserve the flesh that you core to make a stir fry or omelette later, just keep them in a covered bowl in the fridge.
The cored zucchini shells should be as thin as possible which means you need to core the hell out of the flesh! lol
Once they are all cored and ready, place them in a bowl with enough water to cover them so you can use them tomorrow.
Unless you are willing to cook this meal the same day!
The next day, all you need to do is to mix the filling ingredients together and stuff your zucchinis!
Okay, let's get started!
Preparation time: 1 hour total
cooking time: 45 minutes
Servings: 9 stuffed zucchinis
Ingredients:
- 9 medium zucchinis
- 3/4 cup strained tomatoes (tomato puree)
- 1 tsp pink himalayan salt
- 1/2 tsp all spice
For the filling:
- 1/2 medium size onion, finely minced with a pinch of all spice
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1/4 cup uncooked quinoa
- 1/2 cup uncooked red lentils
- 2 cups grape tomatoes, processed briefly through a mini prep or blender
- small bunch of parsley, minced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp all spice
For the sauce:
- 1/4 + 1/2 cup strained tomatoes
- 1/2 cup water (or a little more if needed)
- 1 tsp pink himalayan salt
- 1/2 tsp all spice
Toppings:
- 3 cloves of garlic, crushed in a mortar with 2 tbsp minced fresh mint
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Guidance:
Wash all the vegetables and let them drain.
Starting with the zucchinis, cut off the top and peel the bottom of each zucchini.
Using a corer, and as described above, core the flesh of each zucchini and preserve for later use in omelette or stir fry.
If filling the zucchinis the same day, put them aside until you prepare the filling. If not, place them in a bowl, covered with fresh water in the fridge until it is time to fill them and cook them.
To prepare the filling, mix all the filling ingredients in a bowl making sure they are all well incorporated.
using your fingers,m fill each zucchini until almost full, leave some room on top for the ingredients to expand a little after they cook.
Use a deep medium pot and add 1/4 cup of tomato puree at the bottom.
Place your zucchinis a little inclined, to make sure the filling doesn't get mixed with the sauce and get out of the zucchinis (you don't have to do this but if you like things to be super neat).
Mix the sauce ingredients together and pour in the pot to cover the zucchinis at least by half.
Bring to a boil, then lower heat and let them simmer, pot covered, for 45 minutes.
Turn off the heat.
Mix the toppings ingredients together and pour over the finished meal.
Serve with some vegan yogurt on the side or some pitta bread.
Enjoy!
If you are interested in remaking this dish, I would love to hear how you like it and don't forget to take pictures and tag @nathaliesader #nathaliesader on social media!
Love,
Nathalie