When two wholefoodigans get together, creative food events are going to happen. Melanie and myself (Holly), got to spend two days together this week with our children happily entertaining one another. I discovered 8-Ball zucchini at the local farmers market and decided I had to try the new vegetable but it was even more exciting knowing I'd get to share the experience with another whole foodie. I bought all the zucchini she had left with only the knowledge they taste like regular zucchini and people tend to stuff and bake them.
Melanie and I started brainstorming and together we came up with the recipe below. I cooked, she took pics and we had a great time except that my 40 lb daughter was feeling sick and I had to stop and wrap her sweet self on my back while we finished.
2.5 cups walnuts halves
6-8 8-ball zucchini
2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
1 fuji apple, coarsely chopped
1 onion, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 Tablespoon olive oil (plus some for the pan)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup of rice flour
balsamic vinegar
Chop nuts finely. (I used the vita-mix). Reserve 1/2 cup for topping.
Slice the tops off the zucchini, and hollow out. Add scooped zucchini, celery, apple, onion, garlic, and all but the reserved nuts to the vita-mix or food processor. Add the seasonings and the rice flour and fill zucchini with mixture. Grease pan with olive oil and arrange the 8 balls inside. Sprinkle with remaining walnuts and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Bake at 400 for about 40 minutes. I think a little longer might have been better.
Some notes after dinner: I think blending the mixture up too finely in the vitamix was a mistake. I think something more the texture of salsa would improve the texture of the dish. The stuffing was a little thin, I'm thinking adding eggs, chia seeds, and/or more rice flour would do the trick. The flavor was divine.
The best part was my new favorite snack (
balsamic glazed nuts) that we inadvertently created while making this meal.
