Stuffed Zucchini

For July’s first challenge (make a healthy meal for 4 for just $10), I made Stuffed Zucchini. It is one of my childhood favorites and something I often asked for as my birthday dinner. The recipe serves 8, if you cut it in half for four, you can feed a family of 4 for just $7.30! For the sake of the recipe, and if you happen to be making it for friends for YOUR birthday dinner, I’ve left it to serve 8.

One other note, my mom uses rice instead of quinoa. I forgot to buy rice at the store and used quinoa in its place and it turned out great! Feel free to substitute rice back in for the quinoa if you’d like.

Stuffed Zucchini

serves 8

1 lb ground beef ($5.59)

1 cup quinoa ($4)

1 14 oz. can of diced tomatoes ($1)

1/2 cup of pasta sauce (.50)

4 medium-large sized zucchini ($3)

2-3 slices of bread (.50)

butter

salt and pepper to taste

Serving 8: $14.59

Serving 4: $7.30

Preheat oven to 375. 

In a large pot of boiling water, boil your zucchini until they are tender. 

While you wait for the zucchini, prepare quinoa according to its package directions. 

When the rice and zucchini are done set both aside.

In a skillet, brown the ground beef. 

Add in the can of diced tomatoes and 1/2 cup of pasta sauce (I just use whatever happens to be in the fridge at the time). 

Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and let it simmer for a few minutes. 

Add the quinoa to the mixture and season to taste. 

Slice each zucchini in half lengthwise and place open on a baking sheet.

Stuff the quinoa/meat mixture into each zucchini half.

Break up the slices of bread or pulse them in a food processor to make bread crumbs. 

Melt about 3 tablespoons of butter and soak the bread crumbs in it to make buttered bread crumbs.

Top the stuffed zucchini with the buttered breadcrumbs.

Bake for 15-20 minutes depending on the size of the zucchini.

Remove from oven and serve with corn on the cob and garden fresh sliced tomatoes for the perfect summer dinner!