Kur - Stuffed!: the art of the edible vegetable boat

THE ART OF THE EDIBLE VEGETABLE BOAT Quick, Healthy, and Delicious
If You Like Bowls, Youll Love Boats!Marlena Kur
CREATOR OFZest My Lemon I have always had a passion for food. As a child, I preferred watching cooking shows to cartoons, and I even began preparing meals for my friends and family at a young age. I dreamed that I would one day become a professional chef and run my own restaurant. But life doesnt always work out exactly the way you plan. I ended up working in the insurance business for many years, though it was a job I didnt love. When I became pregnant with my third child, I was lucky enough to give up my job in insurance and become a stay-at-home mother.

In 2015, I launched my Instagram account, Zest My Lemon (@zestmylemon), which has given me the opportunity to share my easy meal ideasmade with simple ingredientswith the world. In many ways, it has been even better than becoming a professional chef because I get to do what I love every day: raise my children, cook delicious healthy foods, and hopefully inspire others on their journey to clean eating and healthy living. Does it get any better than that? For those of you who have been following my food journey on Instagram, you may have noticed that I always include an assortment of colorful foods in every meal. Zest My Lemon, at its heart, is a combination of my love for food, art, and creativity. And thats why taking those same nutritional power foods and creating fruit and veggies boats has become such a fun passion for me. Stuffed fruits and veggiesor boats, as theyre known on Instagramhave helped me get more creative about how I get my daily nutrition.

If you eat the same plain avocado or sweet potato every day, it can get boring, fast. By stuffing fruits and vegetables with your favorite flavors and foods, they can become fun, nourishing feasts that fuel you throughout the day. Boats can also help you attain that vital food rainbow, whether you follow a vegetarian diet, low-carb diet, or are just trying to be a little healthier. Take an avocado, potato, zucchini, or pepper, and transform it into a whole new level of deliciousness with the recipes Ive created here in my very first book, Stuffed!. So, if you are ready to reinvent the cucumber or power up a sweet potato, then Stuffed! is for you! With quick and healthy no-fuss recipes for a satisfying snack, side dish, or nourishing meal at any time of the day, these boats are sure to be a crowd-pleaser for your guests or a fun treat for your kids, and the perfect way to mix up your menu, tantalize your taste buds, and help you get your five a day. I hope you enjoy this cookbook, and it inspires you to experiment with your own fruit and veggie boats at home! Marlena Kur, creator of Zest My Lemon

TOTAL TIME: 15 minutes
YIELD: serves 8 as a starterIngredients 1 can (15.5 ounces, or 439 g) chickpeas, rinsed and drained / cup (120 g) tahini / cup (60 ml) water 1 tablespoon (6 g) lemon zest / cup (120 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 cloves garlic 1 tablespoon (15 ml) ground cumin 1 teaspoon sea salt / cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil 4 large red bell peppers / cup (68 g) pine nuts, toasted 1 teaspoon paprika 4 large heirloom carrots, peeled and sliced 4 ribs celery, cut into 3-inch (7.5 cm) pieces 8 radishes, sliced 24 cherry tomatoes 1.

In a food processor or blender, combine the chickpeas, tahini, water, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, and sea salt. Puree on high speed until smooth. With the motor still running, add the olive oil and continue to puree until creamy, about 2 minutes. 2. Cut the peppers in half through the stem and remove the ribs and seeds. Pour the hummus into the bell pepper halves.

Sprinkle with the pine nuts and paprika. 3. To serve, arrange the crudits (carrots, celery, radishes, and tomatoes) in the 8 boats.

TOTAL TIME: 20 minutes
YIELD: serves 4 as a main courseIngredients 1 rotisserie chicken, skin removed and meat shredded / cup (175 g) mayonnaise / cup (80 ml) white wine vinegar / cup (85 g) mango chutney 3 tablespoons (19 g) curry powder 1 cup (110 g) thinly sliced celery 1 cup (150 g) halved red grapes / cup (31 g) sliced almonds, toasted Salt and pepper, to taste 4 large yellow, red, or orange bell peppers / cup (25 g) chopped scallions, for garnish 1. Place the shredded chicken in a large bowl. 2. 2.

In a blender, combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, chutney, and curry powder. Blend until smooth and then pour over the shredded chicken. 3. Add the celery, grapes, almonds, and salt and pepper. Stir to combine. 4.

Slice each bell pepper in half. Remove the stem, ribs, and seeds. Scoop the chicken salad into the 8 boats and top with the scallions.

PREP TIME: 20 minutes
COOK TIME: 1 hour
YIELD: serves 4 as a side dishIngredients Nonstick cooking spray 4 large bell peppers plus 1 large red bell pepper, diced (/-inch, or 13 mm, pieces), divided 1 medium sweet onion, chopped 2 cups (175 g) diced eggplant (/-inch, or 13 mm, pieces) 1 cup (124 g) diced zucchini (/-inch, or 13 mm, pieces) / cup (60 ml) plus 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil, divided 1 tablespoon (16 g) anchovy paste 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 can (28 ounces, or 794 g) diced tomatoes / teaspoon dried oregano / teaspoon dried thyme / teaspoon fennel seeds / cup (30 g) thinly sliced fresh basil leaves Salt and pepper, to taste / cup (40 g) shredded Parmesan cheese, for garnish 1. Preheat the oven to 400F (200C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Spray a 9 9-inch (23 23 cm) baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. 2. Cut the tops off the 4 whole bell peppers, remove the ribs and seeds, and place the peppers in the baking dish. Transfer to the oven and bake for 25 minutes. 3. Arrange the onion and eggplant in a single layer on one of the prepared baking sheets, and the zucchini and diced bell pepper in a single layer on the other.

Drizzle the vegetables with / cup (60 ml) of the olive oil. Transfer the baking sheets to the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave the oven on. 4. Once the vegetables are roasted, add the remaining 1 tablespoon (15 ml) oil to a large pot over medium heat. 5. 5.

Add the tomatoes, oregano, thyme, and fennel seeds. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Add the roasted vegetables and basil, and season with salt and pepper. 6. Spoon the ratatouille into the 4 cooked boats. Top with the shredded Parmesan, return to the oven, and broil until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 3 minutes.