Cannelini Zucchini Boats

I used my zucchini from the farmers market for tonight's meal. The zucchini are stuffed with a cannelini bean mixture, then baked. It's a recipe you can and should adapt to suit your tastes. The important thing to keep in mind is that the beans are very mild, so getting the taste you want from the stuffing mixture is the key to this recipe.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the stems off the zucchini and slice them lengthwise. Scoop out the pulp, leaving 1/4-inch shell; reserve the pulp. Spray a baking dish with nonstick spray and place the shells in the dish.

1 medium onion, diced
8 to 10 white mushrooms, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 - 15-ounce can cannelini beans
reserved pulp
1 T. white balsamic vinegar

Saute the onion and mushrooms in a nonstick skillet until soft and golden. I then deglazed the pan with a little white wine. Reduce the heat and add in the garlic and about a half cup water; add the beans, pulp, and vinegar. Mash the beans lightly. Add in your favorite herbs and taste often. I used a combination of fresh and dried oregano, parsley, rosemary, and salt, and a little crushed red pepper. When heated through, scoop the mixture into the shells. (Any leftover mixture would make a great dip or bruschetta topping.) I sprinkled the tops with nutritional yeast. You could top with soy cheese or even your favorite tomato sauce. Bake the shells for 20 - 25 minutes or until shells are soft and the filling is hot. I topped mine with chopped fresh, chopped, cold tomatoes because I like the temperature contrast.

Here's how mine turned out. Let me know how you prepared yours!