If you are like me, returning from a vacation, you need a day to recuperate and transition back into everyday routines. In other words, you need a vacation from your vacation. For the most part, there are no rules on vacation. We eat what we want, drink what we want, get up and go to bed when we want, and throw all caution to the wind.
It’s not until we set foot back in our front doors, plop the luggage down, make sure no one robbed us, and blurt out, “Oh man, I gotta hit the gym asap!” Along with that comes transitioning back into a routine of incorporating healthier meals into our diet as well. I use the word “transition” loosely. We are already 3/4 of the way through January and this would be about the time I forget all my new year’s resolutions.
But not this year. My boyfriend and I joined a gym at the start of the new year and had a great routine going. That was until we decided to go on vacation. Sadly, vacation is over and it’s time to get back to the gym and eating healthier. Veggies can be a bit boring at times, and you can only eat so many different types of salads when you’re trying to eat healthier ( I dislike using the word diet.) These bruschetta zucchini boats break up the monotony of a salad and beat the heck out of a plain plate of vegetables.
I’ve seen variations of zucchini boats on Pinterest and google but I wanted to stuff mine with something pretty and tasty. So, I used an adapted bruschetta recipe I found on Pinterest for grilled chicken. The tanginess of the balsamic vinegar balances out the sweetness of the onion and basil and goes well with the sun dried tomato dressing. The corn bread stuffing is baked to a golden brown perfection then topped off with melted low fat mozzarella cheese. Mmmmmmmm.
Recipe:
2 small to medium zucchini
1 small ripe tomato
Handful fresh basil chopped
2 tablespoons chopped red onion
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh parmesan cheese
1 large garlic clove chopped
balsamic vinegar
extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup Sun Dried Tomato salad dressing
1/2 cup Pepperidge Farm corn bread stuffing (crushed croutons will do too)
Low fat mozzarella cheese for topping.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drizzle small amount of olive oil on glass baking dish and spread all around with paper towel. Set aside. Wash, dry, and slice zucchini down the center.
With a small spoon trace out the middle of zucchini and lift out the center with the spoon.
Chop center pieces and place in bowl. Add chopped basil, tomatoes, parmesan cheese, and chopped garlic.
Drizzle a little EVOO over top. Add about 1/4 cup of Sun Dried Tomato salad dressing and about 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar.
Mix together well.
Spoon in zucchini boats.
Reserve most of juice in bottom of bowl. Add corn bread stuffing (or croutons) and moisten with left over juices. If not enough juice, add more sun dried tomato dressing. Just enough to moisten bread crumbs. Spoon over top of bruschetta mixture.
Bake in oven for 20 minutes. Remove and add mozzarella cheese and pop back in the oven until melted.
Serve warm. This pairs well with a fish, chicken, or beef.
Recipe Type: Side Dish
Author: Sherri @ The Kitchen Prescription
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 20 mins
Total time: 35 mins
Serves: 2-4
Kicked-up-a-notch alternative to your everyday boring veggies. Making more healthy alternatives.
Ingredients
- 2 small to medium zucchini
- 1 small ripe tomato
- handful fresh basil chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped red onion
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh parmesan cheese
- 1 large garlic clove chopped
- balsamic vinegar
- extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup Sun Dried Tomato salad dressing
- 1/2 cup Pepperidge Farm corn bread stuffing (crushed croutons will do too)
- low fat mozzarella cheese for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Drizzle small amount of olive oil on glass baking dish and spread all around with paper towel.
- Set aside.
- Wash, dry, and slice zucchini down the center.
- With a small spoon trace out the middle of zucchini and lift out the center with the spoon. Chop center pieces and place in bowl.
- Add chopped basil, tomatoes, parmesan cheese, and chopped garlic.
- Drizzle a little EVOO over top.
- Add about 1/4 cup of Sun Dried Tomato salad dressing and about 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar.
- Mix together well.
- Spoon in zucchini boats.
- Reserve most of juice in bottom of bowl.
- Add corn bread stuffing (or croutons) and moisten with left over juices. If not enough juice, add more sun dried tomato dressing. Just enough to moisten bread crumbs.
- Spoon over top of bruschetta mixture and bake in oven for 20 minutes.
- Remove and add mozzarella cheese and pop back in the oven until melted.
- Serve warm.
