Today, just like any other Sunday, I bopped over to the Brentwood Farmers Market in need of some veggies and inspiration for what to cook for dinner. I was not disappointed, I found some summer zucchini squash. I do not think I've used zucchini in any other way but as a pasta substitute in a long while and the summer squash was just the right shape to kick me out of my routine!
Stuffed Zucchini
To complete this meal I also picked up some grass fed ground beef along with onions, celery, yellow and red sweet peppers and jalapeno peppers. I also used left over cilantro, an heirloom tomato, and avocado that I had from making guacamole yesterday.
First cook the ground beef in a sauté pan until a little pink. Remove from the pan and set aside. Do not wipe grease from the pan, you will add the veggies to the pan shortly.
And shortly is here :) Dice up two stalks of celery, about 1/4 of a yellow onion and 1/4 cup of sweet peppers and add to the sauté pan. Let those veggies saute for about 2 to 3 minutes then add in about 3 slivers of a spicy jalapeno!
While celery, onions and peppers saute wash and hallow out the summer zucchini squash. First, slice off the top (stem side) of the zucchini. Then, I personally used a butter knife to cut a circle out then scooped the center with a spoon, leaving about 1cm of zucchini inside. Dice up the scooped out zucchini and add to sautéed veggies.
Add crumbled ground beef and sauté for 3 minutes. While the ground beef is heating up some more, take an oven safe dish and sprinkle with oil, I used Avocado Oil - my new favorite oil! Yummy! You can also sprinkle some oil inside hallowed zucchini. Dice up some fresh tomato and cilantro and mix into veggie and meat mixture on the stove.
Then scoop veggie and meat into the zucchini, I used a teaspoon and every spoonful I pushed the veggies and meat down so I could stuff it to the max.
Once zucchini is stuff to the max place zucchini in the oven at 350 degree for 60 minutes. Place a piece of foil over the dish for the first 45 minutes. After 60 minutes take zucchini out of the oven and serve with side of white beans seasoned with cumin and fresh avocado. You can even top your Stuffed Zucchini with hot sauce. Yumms!
Also, if you want to taste a hot sauce that is beyond delicious with a kick then you must try NYC Hot Sauce Co. - ingredients are filled with veggies!
www.nychotsauceco.com
