It’s a common complaint during the nine days – “There is nothing to eat! Let’s order pizza?” Truth is it is truly not hard to get through what amounts to a week of meat-free fare if you get a little inventive. How about a crispy tofu salad? Some Chana Masala? A caramelized onion quiche, butternut squash lasagna or some cauliflower and leek tartlets would all be welcome meals.
You can also make these cute zucchini boats, stuffed with garlic-flavored couscous and served warm. It is a fun presentation that may even get your kids to eat their veggies! If you eat them with a dairy meal, you can sprinkle the tops with a little parmesan cheese for some added flavor before the final roasting.
Couscous-Stuffed Zucchini Boats
3 medium zucchini
1 ½ cups cooked couscous
3 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper
Slice the zucchini in half, and with a teaspoon, hollow out the insides, leaving at least a ½” of skin remaining. Reserve the “guts” in a bowl.
Lightly oil or spray the zucchini and roast them on 350 F, face down, for 10 to 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, dice the cloves of garlic finely.
In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil, and the garlic, and fry for 2-3 minutes. Mix together the zucchini innards and couscous, and add salt and pepper to taste. Add to the pan, fry, stirring every couple minutes, for 10 minutes.
Remove the zucchini boats from the oven, fill with the couscous mixture, and return to bake for an additional 10 minutes. Serve warm.
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