The stress, the sweaty palms and the sudden loss of inspiration when you've invited your friends over and you're on your own to prepare a somewhat impressive meal. Or the evenings when you feel like treating yourself to a healthy and delicious-looking dinner that makes for leftovers that can be frozen or kept in the fridge to enjoy again later. This zucchini, or courgette as our American friends call it, is stuffed with a couscous, vegetable and seitan filling with the freshness of tiny apple pieces. Are your kitchen tools at the ready?
COOKING TIME: 50 minutes // SERVINGS: 4 // MEAL: DINNER
INGREDIENTS
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 diced carrot
- 3 small zucchinis/courgettes (or 4 if you prefer not to use bell pepper)
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- 1 green bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 cup dry couscous
- 1/4 finely diced apple
- 1 cup seitan mince
- 1,5 tsp each of paprika spice, thyme and Provencal herbs
STEP-BY-STEP
1. Cut off the top of the zucchini and spoon out the 'meat'. Cut the zucchini meat into smaller pieces and put aside. Do the same for the yellow bell pepper. Put in the oven for 30 minutes on 200°C or 400°F (unless your oven is already preheated, then bake for 20 minutes).
2. Cook the onion in a pan on medium heat until translucent. When translucent, add in the herbs and spices along with the carrot and green bell pepper. Cook until the carrot is soft.
3. In a smaller, microwaveable bowl add 1 cup of water to 1 cup of dry couscous. Microwave for about three minutes until the couscous has absorbed the water completely.
4. To the vegetable mixture, add the seitan mince along with pepper and salt. Cook for an additional five minutes, then add in the couscous and apple and mix together.
5. By this time the zucchini and bell pepper should be softer. Stuff them with the couscous and seitan filling and turn down the oven to 180°C.
6. Bake for 15 minutes and serve hot alongside a salad or any side you wish.
(We added red beet sprouts on top as a finishing touch)
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