Stuffed Zucchini

There are a million great ways to stuff a zucchini. Here is one on the healthier side. First let me explain the pictures. We were visiting family in Oklahoma and one of my Aunt-in-laws gave me the biggest zucchini I have ever seen, we are talking 1st place in my made up county fair. So, no I don't normally cook this dish with insanely huge zucchinis and no I also don't normally put so much cheese on it. At home we use the block of cheese and since grating isn't as fun as it was when I was a kid, minimal cheese is the key. On vacation we had a bag of shredded cheese and I went crazy.

Olive, Tomato and Millet Stuffed Zucchini

1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 TBL olive oil
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 cup millet
4 medium zucchini
1/2 tsp each: rosemary, thyme, marjoram, basil and salt
pepper to taste
1 tsp paprika
1 22 ounce can whole tomatoes (I use about 4 fresh Roma tomatoes)
2 cups broth
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives

The recipe needs you to steam up your zucchinis, so I'd figure out how you intend to do that and get it going while you do the rest of this. In the case of the giant zuc, I did it in the oven covered with water in the bottom. You can do the same in the microwave I've heard, I use the steamer. You can boil them if none of those options appeal to you!
Saute the onions for 5-7 minutes, add the garlic for a few minutes. Add millet, herbs and spices, saute 3 more minutes. Add the tomatoes, crushing them as you put them in, throw in the broth (and tomato juice if you used canned ones). Cover and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. In the meantime, cut the zuccs in half lengthwise: steam or boil them until soft. Remove the pulp making a little boat and add it to the millet mixture with olives. Simmer about 5 more minutes. Place the zucchinis in a casserole dish and stuff them with mixture. (I top it with cheese). Bake for about 20 minutes at 350.

Pictures

A couple blogs back I posted a recipe for whole wheat pizza dough. (Click here to see the recipe) I wanted to add a couple pictures because I think pizzas are one of the most beautiful dishes to make and serve! My two year old is the best at rolling out the dough and pushing in the crust - it is really fun to make pizza with him. This pizza is one of our typical combos. Onions, peppers, garlic, mushrooms and spinach... oh yes and add the cheese.

Basil

I planned to post a great picture of the basil in my garden but searching through my garden pictures I find no basil cameos... poor herb. I'm sure there are 100 ways to use fresh basil in the kitchen but my top choice and the number one place all my grown basil goes to is pesto. Freezing it is awesome for winter (I have frozen it both with and without the cheese). If you were only going to grow one herb I vote basil! Pesto usually calls for pine nuts, but those little guys are pricey so I just ditch them, still tastes great to me. I have also heard of vegans axing the cheese, I haven't tried that though. Once I put one clove too many garlic... wowee that hurt, so I added about a cup or so of spinach and that really helped. My point is: mess around and see what you like.

Pesto

1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups fresh basil leaves (okay I have never measured this, really its like a heaping handful)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 garlic cloves
salt
pepper

I'd say cut about 3 inch tall pieces off your basil plant and gather as much as you can fit into your hand.
Wash them and pat dry.
Pick the leaves off the stems.
Mix all together in a food processor or blender and pulse until smooth.

After these messages...

I haven't forgotten my fellow eaters out there! I will be back soon with another great new recipe. I've been on somewhat of a vacation for the past week or so but we are headed home in a couple days. Keep on working your magic in the kitchen!

More beans

White beans are a great source of calcium (among many other benefits), so I'm always on the look out for great white bean recipes. Here is a great one starring Lima beans. This recipe is insanely flexible - I really wouldn't bother measuring anything but especially not the beans and the zucchini - but I'll write an approximate measurement for the sake of those detailed chefs.

Zucchini Succotash
1 cup Lima beans
2 diced zucchinis
a couple Roma tomatoes
1 cup corn
1 cup water (I used the bean water)
1 TBL honey
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp each: salt and pepper
garlic and peppers - chopped
1 TBL butter (I put that in because I
have some guiltless butter
but I'm sure you can ditch it)

Cook beans - Combine everything together in a stock pot - bring to boil then simmer for 10 minutes.

What is seems vs. what it is

One of my friends told me recently that they thought I was a great cook. Though I accept the compliment with pride I should put to rest this misconception!
For one, great cooking really is subjective I could whip up a fabulous tofu fajita dinner... if you like tofu!
For two, I ask myself all the time how it is my family hasn't started ordering in for dinner every night. I put them through so much experimenting and so many disclaimers. "Sorry, the tortillas are gummy I tried half chickpea flour this time", "WOW one too many cloves of garlic in the pesto", "okay before you try these, you need to know that I tried to substitute the oil in it with peanut butter".
Which leads me to my third point which is really a congratulations to you all for trying new recipes, branching out and taking the healthier road. The fact of the matter is that healthy cooking is harder than non-healthy cooking. - White flour making baking bread a breeze. It takes a lot of work and mistakes to use wheat flour or other substitutions. - Eggplant is a bland vegetable - Ten thousand ways to make beans still makes beans and not steak ... I could go on.
I commend all of your cooking skills for even attempting it! I post recipes that have been trustworthy but I don't want to give the impression that all my meals turn out to be glorious things. Last week I used some turnips in my recipe for beet salad and ruined the whole thing, the leftovers are still in the fridge as if someone might come along and eat them. I frequently serve pita bread without pockets in them, chickpea burgers that are falling apart and in no way resemble a burger, soggy pizzas, gummy muffins, boring stews, burnt fish, and super dense and short bread. My point is DON'T GIVE UP, and don't ever assume that what your doing isn't good enough or isn't as perfect as someone else, because it is an absolute fact that they are messing up too!

Rolls

In keeping with the bread-ish theme I'm going to post my recipe for Wheat Bran Rolls (since I had a few requests for it!) Actually the recipe if off the side of the wheat bran box with some adjustments. I usually divide the recipe in half. If I don't then I freeze the unused ones and they thaw out and taste perfectly after frozen. I have also formed them into hamburger bun shaped rolls, baked them, sliced them and froze them. You need to know too that these have butter, egg and honey in them - making them a little on the decadent side, but a good recipe from splurging off your diet.

1 pkg of yeast (that's 2 1/4 tsp)
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup boiling water
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup wheat bran
3/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cup unbleached AP flour

Proof the yeast (this is how) - Add the yeast to 1/2 cup warm water; stir to dissolve and let stand for 5 minutes.
In a large bowl, pour the boiling water over butter and honey, stir in the wheat bran and salt. Cool this to lukewarm temperature (I usually stick it in the fridge because I'm in a hurry).
Beat egg and add to the wheat bran mixture. Stir in dissolved yeast and mix well.
Stir in flour 1/2 cup at a time. Knead for 5 minutes. Place the dough in a bowl, cover and let rise for 1 hour or so. Punch down and divide into equal portions, usually about 20 or so. Place them on the baking sheet you plan to bake them on and let them rest for 10 minutes. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes.