Garlic & Tomato Zucchini Boats

Servings: 1

This is one of my family’s favorite vegan dishes. A velvety tomato sauce with mellow onion, fresh parsley, and savory garlic transforms fiber-rich roasted zucchini into a crowd-pleaser. And the minimal prep time means you can let the oven do the work for you!

INGREDIENTS

2 medium zucchinis, ends trimmed, cut in half lengthwise
1½ teaspoons salt, divided
1½ teaspoons black pepper, divided
¼ cup + 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
12 garlic cloves, halved
1 large onion, sliced
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon tomato paste
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F and coat a casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Place the zucchini cut side up in the prepared casserole dish. Using a knife, score the cut side of each zucchini half a few times, without slicing all the way through. This helps the zucchini bake in the center.
3. Sprinkle 1 tsp. of the salt and 1 tsp. of the pepper over the zucchini, then drizzle with ¼ cup of the olive oil. Bake for 30 minutes, until golden.
4. While the zucchini is baking, prepare the sauce. Heat the remaining tsp. of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, add the garlic and onion and stir for 3–4 minutes, until the onions soften.
5. Add the tomatoes and the remaining ½ tsp. salt and ½ tsp. pepper to the skillet. Cook the sauce for 10–15 minutes, then add the tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 2 minutes.
6. Remove the zucchini from the oven and allow to cool for 5–10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 320°F. 
7. Gently press down on the middle of each zucchini with a fork to create space for the sauce. Pour the sauce into the zucchini boats and transfer to the oven. Bake the zucchini boats for 1 hour.
8. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5–10 minutes. Garnish with the parsley and serve.

NUTRITION • per one serving • 

Calories 220 —
Total Fat 15 g 19%
Saturated Fat 2.1 g 11%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.8 g —
Monounsaturated Fat 5.8 g —
Trans Fat — 
Cholesterol — 
Sodium 870 mg 38%
Total Carbohydrates 18 g 7%
Dietary Fiber 5 g 18%
Total Sugars 4 g —
Protein 9 g 18%
Vitamin A 392 mcg 8%
Vitamin C 19 mcg 25%
Vitamin D — 
Potassium 1443 mg 30%
Calcium 93 mg 8%
Iron 2.8 mg 15%

This AMAZING Recipe can be found in my Intermittent Fasting and the Mediterranean Diet Cookbook here