Since I adopted 4 zucchini babies last week, i’ve had to make sure that they were well taken care of. I think I have mentioned many times before how much I hate wasted food, so to have giant zucchinis sitting in my kitchen staring at means I have to use them…any way I can. So i’ve been eating zucchini in one form or another almost every day for the last week. But i’m ok with that because I LOVE my veggies and being on a flexible eating plan, I can basically eat ALL of the zucchini and barely put a dent in my macros. The recipe below for my stuffed zucchini boats are so low in carb and fat grams and super high in protein.
There are so many things you can do with giant zucchinis, both simple and a little more complicated.
Here’s a small list to think about:
Stuffed Zucchini with Anything and Everything
Zucchini Noodles topped with marinara, pesto or garlic and olive oil
Zucchini Lasagna
Zucchini Pizza Rounds
Grilled Zucchini Slices (this mornings breakfast pic below)
Almond Flour Crusted Zucchini Sticks
Burgers with Grilled Zucchini “Buns”
Zucchini, Tomato and Mozzarella Cheese Bake
Zucchini Chips
Honestly, the list of ideas is endless. Be creative. Keep in mind that as zucchinis get larger and larger they can be a little tough and have a lot of seeds in the middle so, depending on the recipe, you might want to think about pre-baking just the zucchini for a little bit to soften it up before you bake your whole dish. That way everything bakes evenly. Also, de-seeding the middle is a good idea. Sometimes the seeds can get as large as pumpkin seeds!
Below is the recipe for my Mexican-Style Stuffed Zucchinis (obviously I went for south of the border flavors as well all know my obsession by now) I tried the other. They turned out so good. Basically, they tasted like enchiladas in a zucchini boat. I’m always looking for tortilla and noodle alternatives and this was the perfect substitute! This isn’t really your traditional way to stuff giant zucchinis but for some reason I always like the addition of zucchini and squash to my Mexican food. Nothing wrong with extra veggies.
For those on a flexible eating plan, the calories and macros for one serving are: 417 Calories – 12C / 16F / 48P
These numbers do not include the optional toppings of Avocado, etc. Adjust accordingly.
Mexican Stuffed Zucchini Boats
(One serving: multiply ingredient amounts as needed)
Ingredients:
250 g of One Large Zucchini (can be subbed for a smaller size)
5 oz. Shredded Rotisserie Chicken Breast
40 g Finely Chopped Yellow Onion
20 g Finely Chopped Red Bell Pepper
1 oz. Mexican Cheese Blend (Any cheese of choice works)
16 g Sliced Black Olives
.3 oz Chopped Green Onion
Cumin
Chili Powder
Garlic Powder
Salt & Pepper to Taste
30 g Enchilada Sauce (I used Trader Joe’s)
Optional: Sliced Avocado, Pico de Gallo, Sour Cream, Greek Yogurt, etc.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Wash and dry zucchini, then slice in half length-wise. Hollow out the zucchini’s until there is about 1/4 inch left all the way around. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet and brush the inside with a very small amount of olive oil (can sub coconut oil). Sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the zucchinis start to become soft. Pull them out of the oven and let cool for a few minutes.
Shred a rotisserie chicken breast and season with cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper and set aside. Season to your liking, there is no set amount here (about a tsp of each powder should be fine). Toss the chicken until evenly coated with spices and set aside.
Finely chop the yellow onion and red bell pepper. In a medium size pan, sauté the onion and bell pepper until soft. Add the shredded chicken mix and stir until warmed through.
Add the chicken and veggie mix to the zucchini boat(s), drizzle with the enchilada sauce and bake in the oven for another 10 minutes.
Pull the boats out of the oven, top with cheese, olives and green onion and then bake for another 5-10 minutes, uncovered, until the cheese begins to melt and bubble.
Top with sliced avocado, guacamole, pico de gallo, or any other of your favorite Mexican toppings!
