RECIPE - Gluten Free Stuffed Zucchini

Here are some fun facts about zucchini:

- They are naturally gluten free (if they weren't, I'd be very concerned)
- Zucchini can grow up to 3 feet in length!
- It's my favorite vegetable. According to wikipedia, zucchini is an immature fruit (and I to wikipedia: "you're an immature fruit!")
- Eric can't remember eating zucchini before he met me. I pretty much changed his life.

Now that you have some background info, let's cook! This is a great, easy meal. It's kind of like inside-out tacos.

Another reason why this meal is great, it's super cheap! I'd estimate this entire meal costs only $13, and feeds 4-6!! I put the estimated price next to each item so you can see how it adds up.

Ingredients:


4 zucchinis, sliced in half and insides scooped out (to make a boat) ($3)
6 mushrooms, chopped ($1)
1 1/2 cups spanish rice mix, cooked ($1)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb ground turkey ($5)
1 tomato, chopped ($1)
2 tbsp taco seasoning (Trader Joe's is gluten free)
1 cup grated cheddar cheese ($1)
1/2 cup GF puffed rice cereal, smashed into breadcrumbs (a box costs $4, so ~$1)

Directions:


Preheat the oven to 350. Place your zucchini boats on a sheet pan or in a casserole dish. Make sure the zucchini boats don't overlap.

Heat the olive oil in a saute pan and add ground turkey. Cook turkey, breaking it up into pieces as it cooks. Once the turkey is mostly cooked, add the chopped mushrooms, tomato, and zucchini insides (squeeze the excess water out). Add taco seasoning and a little salt and pepper. Cook until turkey is fully cooked and vegetables are about halfway cooked (about 3-4 minutes).

Stir spanish rice into the turkey vegetable mix. Mix thoroughly. Spoon the mixture into the zucchini boats, pushing down with the spoon to really stuff it in. You may have extra stuffing, don't worry about getting it all in. Top each zucchini boat with some cheddar cheese.

Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted and the zucchini boat is starting to soften. Don't overcook the zucchini, otherwise it'll be impossible to remove from the pan. Serves 4-6.