Vegan MoFo Day 7

If you have not gone to Vegweb yet I highly recommend it! It's a whole community of vegan and vegetarian cooks sharing recipes and giving cooking tips. I have found a lot of really good recipes and many of them have become favorites of mine. I prefer recipes that focus on vegetables instead of ones that try to imitate meat meals. This zucchini recipes is great for the summer when it's vegetables are in season and it's very easy to make. This recipe is for one person but can easily be modified to feed more people.

Zucchini Boats
~ 2T olive oil
~ 1 zucchini
~ 1 red bell pepper
~ 1/4-1/2 onion
~ 2-3 cloves garlic
~ Sliced mushrooms (cooked or raw) TT
~ 1/2 c diced tomatoes (canned or fresh)
~ Salt and pepper TT
~ Handful of chopped fresh basil
~ Whole wheat bread crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Slice zucchini in half and scoop out the insides making sure to leave a rim and not poke holes in the bottom of the zucchini (make a boat). Place the insides in a bowl.
3. Add oil to a baking sheet and rub the inside part of the zucchini in the oil and then place on sheet so scooped out area is facing up.
4. Dice onion and add to a oiled and heated pan. Saute till translucent and then add minced garlic. Cook for a minute or 2 and then add mushrooms. If using cooked mushrooms, cook long enough to heat through but if using raw, cook until they have released their juices.
5. Add bell pepper, tomatoes, and zucchini insides. Cook until tender and add salt, pepper, and basil to taste. Depending on the ingredients you use, there may be a lot of juice and so this will determine how long you simmer the vegetables but it usually takes around 15 min.

6. Add bread crumbs and mix to absorb some of the juice and help everything stick together and adjust seasoning. Fill up the scooped out zucchini with vegetable mix. You may have left overs which taste great eaten by themselves.

7. Place in oven and cook for about 30 minutes or until Zucchini boats are tender when poked with a fork. This dish is surprisingly filling because of the amount of vegetables. Even my omni family members love this recipe and it's nice to have when I don't feel like spending a lot of time in the kitchen.

Sadly once again not my picture but at least it's one of the actual recipe.