Vegan Indian Zucchini Boats

Wow! After having a couple of crazy weeks at work (that's advertising for you) and having numerous house guests over the past couple of weeks. I'm finally eating (and cooking) vegan again! And to be honest... my body is thanking me!

I received this cookbook from my boss as a thank you for dog sitting one day and it's called Cooking With Trader Joe's Skinny Dish - and it's all vegetarian cooking, and super easy to find vegan substitutes for the few recipes that have diary products. Today I decided to tackle the Indian Zucchini Boats and they could not have been easier to make and were wildly delicious. Five stars!

Away we go!

Ingredients

• 2 large zucchinis
• 2 large carrots
• 1 medium white onion
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 2 T oil
• 1 t ground cumin
• 1/4 t tumeric
• 1/4 t fennel seeds
• 1/2 t salt

I love any dish less than 10 ingredients (and pronounce them all!)

1. Preheat your oven to 375° F. Take your two zucchini and cut them lengthwise. Using a teaspoon, scoop out the insides using a downwards motion. Save the zucchini insides and set a side the boats. 

Zucchini is one of my absolute favorite vegetables!

 2. Cut the zucchini insides into bite-size pieces and set aside in a bowl.

3. Peel and dice the white onion into bite-size pieces. I like to keep all of my vegetables the same size when I need to cook them so they cook evenly.

4. Next you want to shred the carrots. I mistakenly thought I had a grater in the apartment, but I don't. So I had to improvised. I used the carrot peeler to whittle it down to almost nothing and it surpsisingly worked out really well.

When life gives you lemons...

 5. I then took the shaved carrot and just chopped it up to be the same size as the onions and zucchini flesh. Easy-peasy solution for not having a grater.

...make lemonade!

6. I then measured out the spices. Usually I dislike the fennel/star anise/licorice flavors but over the years it has grown on me a bit. Now I can at least appreciate the flavor it brings when it melds with everything else. Plus - if I hate it, I just won't add it next time. The perks of cooking for yourself ;-)

Cumin, turmeric, and fennel seeds

7. In a large pan, add the oil, diced vegetables, and spices. Turn the burner onto high and cook until the onions are translucent and all of the spices are incorporated. About eight minutes. During this time, your kitchen will smell amazing.

8. After eight minutes - remove your vegetables from the heat and add the shredded coconut. Stir until the coconut is well incorporated.

I got about 1 cup of coconut at Whole Foods for about $1.00

9. Once all the ingredients are mixed together. Spoon into your zucchini boats. I used two tin pans to house the boats, but a glass baking dish will work just as well.

Try not to have the filling spill over - the filling is too good to lose!

10. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Add a little bit of water to the bottom of the tins so the zucchini doesn't stick to the bottom. You want the zucchini to be nice and tender when you take it out.

2 boats with 1 organic pear and plum.

This dish is too easy to taste this delicious! The coconut toasts itself when mixed into the hot vegetables and then again when it's in the oven. Brings out the natural nuttiness. The onions and carrots are sweet and tender and the zucchini is the perfect vessel to house it all together. The spices add a whole other layer to the party, and trust me, this is one party that I want to be invited back to!

Well, it feels good to be back!

Cheers,

Kate