RECIPE: Healthy Dinner

So… I’ve fallen off the cooking in my apartment bandwagon again. But, this guest post from Louisa of Living Lou just might get me to start back up. I personally struggle with creating super flavorful meals at home and I love going out to Mexican restaurants. Reading this had my mouth watering!!! YUM.

Mexican Quinoa Stuffed Zucchini

by Louisa of Living Lou

It’s time for another recipe and today I’ve got a vegetarian stuffed zucchini using simple Mexican flavors – I know I’m on a bit of a Mexican kick right now. As much fun as it is to have friends over for snacks or impress your loved ones with a fancy meal, more often than not when we are cooking, we’re cooking for ourselves. Sometimes I’ll just whip up a quick omelet or eat popcorn for dinner (real life), but every now and then I feel like something that’s a little more special. Over the years, I’ve found that cooking is one of my favorite ways to de-stress after a crazy day or week. There’s just something almost soothing about following a recipe and this recipe is perfect for one of those evenings or weekend afternoons. 

This recipe for Mexican stuffed zucchini is great for anyone who’s starting to cook for themselves and wants to make something a little more healthy and unique than pasta or chicken. The ingredients in here are all simple things that you can find in your grocery store, but I bet that you already have all of them at home. Quinoa, black beans, salsa and cheese are basics for any kitchen. You could make this recipe in bell peppers, but zucchini is a vegetable that is in season right now, so make use of it while you can! 

Today’s Two Tips:

1. Shop what’s in season

And I don’t mean fashion! Try to buy fresh fruits and vegetables that are in season, not only will they taste better (think berries in the summer versus berries in February) but they will also be more budget friendly. Take a trip to the farmer’s market to see what is being sold!

2. Always have beans in the pantry

I can’t tell you the amount of times I have made a meal out of a can of beans. I think these are a staple for any kitchen, I like to stock up when they are on sale. Black beans can be thrown into any Mexican dish. 

Mexican Quinoa Stuffed Zucchini (2-4 servings)

Ingredients

For zucchini:

2 zucchinis, halved lengthwise, inside scooped out and finely chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

¼ tsp cumin

¼ tsp chili powder

For stuffing:

½ cup finely chopped zucchini (part of zucchini that was removed earlier)

½ cup uncooked quinoa

1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed

½ cup salsa

½ tsp cumin

½ tsp chili powder

¼ cup mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F degrees. 

2. Bring 1 cup of water to a boil, add quinoa, cover, turn down heat to a simmer and cook for 12-15 minutes. 

3. Brush zucchini with olive oil. Sprinkle with cumin and chili powder. 

4. Roast zucchini halves, skin side up in the oven for 10 minutes. 

5. Meanwhile, stir together finely chopped zucchini, cooked quinoa, black beans, salsa and spices. 

6. Spoon quinoa mixture into zucchini halves and roast for another 10 minutes.

7. Sprinkle with cheese and melt in the oven for 2-3 minutes. Serve.