Zucchini is one of my favorite veggies in the whole world. It blends so easily into almost any dish, lending its subtle crisp sweetness. Here's one of my favorite ways to prepare it.
* And a handy tip: If you're hoping to make this dish vegetarian, just omit the ground turkey and substitute 2 cups of chopped mushrooms or a combination of the veggies you're already using.
YIELD 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 pound ground turkey
2 medium/large zucchinis (about 8 inches in length)
1 small onion, diced
2/3 cup tomato, chopped (approx 1 roma tomato)
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 cups cashew cream
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
Black pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Heat an oiled skillet and cook ground turkey for a few minutes, then add onions and pepper
3. While turkey is browning, cut each zucchini in half, length-wise, using a spoon to scoop out the insides of each half, leaving 1/4-1/2 inch walls (It's easiest for me to turn my spoon downward to scrape the insides out)
4. Pat the zucchini insides dry with a towel or paper towel to soak up some of the excess moisture
5. In a large bowl, combine cooked turkey, onions, bell pepper, garlic, beaten egg, 3/4 cup cashew cream and salt with the zucchini insides
6. Spoon into zucchini halves and bake for 45 minutes (Stuff zucchinis until they're full. If you have leftover filling, just spoon it into the pan, around the zucchinis to eat on the side)
7. When they're done, add a little water to the remaining cashew cream (not much - to your desired consistency), drizzle over top and sprinkle with black pepper