Moroccan Stuffed Roasted Zucchini
As a busy mom with an endless to-do list, I was dependent on processed food. By the time I reached 25, I was diagnosed with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and prediabetes. But one day, as I watched my 2-year-old daughter play, I knew if I continued down this path, she would follow in my footsteps. I needed to create a new family legacy – for myself and for her.
Growing up, healthy meant extreme – equated with exercise gurus and trendy diets – and considering my family’s history of heart disease, I wasn’t sure where to start.
I began by clearing out my cupboards – and restocking with real food. I focused on a healthy lifestyle, not a number on the scale, and I ended up losing over 100 pounds! I finally realized healthy could mean balanced (I was living proof!), and I knew it was my mission to help others.
After becoming a chef to professional athletes from diverse cultures, including several Seattle Seahawks and NBA players, appearing on Food Network, the cover of Woman’s Day magazine, radio shows, and more, I began to notice how inconvenient it seemed to achieve this balance, not to mention how expensive!
Instead of relying on excess salt or sugar found in many spice blends and sauces, I had been perfecting my own sofrito and found the natural aspects provided by fresh fruits and vegetables, combined with the pure spice blends, created something quite special and delicious.
My clients agreed. I tailored the spices and vegetables around their individual cultural background to create authentic and homemade flavors.
Thus, Mesa de Vida was born – simple, healthy cooking sauces to help you create healthier, more exciting, more delicious meals at home, more often!
Serves 4
1-2 tsp healthy oil or fat of your choice (optional if using a nonstick pan)
4 medium to large zucchini cut in half lengthwise, inside of the zucchini scooped out and chopped
½ jar Mesa de Vida North African-Inspired Healthy Cooking Sauce (This is also fabulous with our Smoky Latin, Creole
and Caribbean cooking sauces for a change of pace too!)*
1 lb ground beef (can substitute ground turkey, pork, chicken, tofu crumbles or mashed beans)
Optional:
1 cup cooked quinoa (can substitute rice, barley, or quick-cooking oats)
salt and hot sauce (harissa is great with this) to taste
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the hollowed-out zucchini boats on a baking sheet or casserole pan. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. When hot, add the chopped zucchini, cooking sauce and ground beef. Sauté, stirring often, until the meat is cooked and most of the juices from the zucchini have cooked off. You should have a juicy, delicious mixture. Combine with the grains if using.
Divide the mixture among the zucchini boats, then cover with foil. Bake for 20 minutes until the zucchini is just tender.
Serve and enjoy!
*To make without Mesa de Vida cooking sauce, add ½ chopped onion, 2-3 minced garlic cloves, ½ diced roasted red bell pepper, juice from ½ lemon, 1 Tb smoked paprika, ½ tsp ground cumin, ½ tsp granulated onion, ½ tsp granulated garlic, pinch of salt, ¼ tsp ground coriander, 1/8 tsp cinnamon, and 3 Tbl fresh chopped parsley.
