Stuffed Zucchini Boats

I am not a huge meat-eater, and red meat is particularly rare.  Though I still do enjoy the occasional burger and roasted chicken.  Caitlin is almost exclusively vegetarian.  So the hunt is often on for a new twist on vegetarian cooking.

I came across this recipe while flipping through our copy of the Vegetarian Times (that, by the way, is not a sentence we’re likely to hear around town).  The potato chips offer a fun and crunchy twist on the standard stuff vegetable recipe.

With our CSA in full swing, these zucchini boats are great way to make use of the summer squash bounty.

Crunchy stuffed zucchini boats

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves 4
Recipe adapted from Vegetarian Times

WHAT TO GRAB:
6 to 8 large zucchini, halved lengthwise
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 15-ounce can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
Two tomatoes, chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
4 ounces low-fat plain yogurt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Potato chips (I used Baked Lays)

HOW YOU DO IT:

1.  Preheat the oven to 350.

2.  Scoop out the seeds and flesh from the zucchini to create a quarter-inch thick shell. Chop the flesh and set aside. Place the zucchini shells in a baking dish coated with olive oil.

3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, chickpeas, tomatoes, oregano, and chopped zucchini, and saute for about five minutes or until tender.

4.  Fill each zucchini shell with about 3 to 4 tablespoons of the chickpea mixture. Stir together the cheese, yogurt, and paprika in a small bowl. Drop a few small spoonfuls of the cheese mixture on top of the stuffing of each zucchini.   Sprinkle with about a tablespoon of crushed potato chips.

5.  Bake for 20 minutes or until the zucchini are heated through and crispy on top.