I used these wonderful round summer squashes that I found at my farmer’s market for this recipe, but regular long zucchini will work just as well.
3 cups cooked basmati rice (I used white, but you could also use brown)
6 zucchini or summer squash
3 small carrots, diced
4 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
4 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 cup vegetable broth
1/4 cup minced fresh basil
salt and pepper to taste
Scoop out the insides of the zucchini, using a small spoon or a melon baller. (I used a measuring spoon.) Chop up enough of the insides to equal one cup, reserve the remaining insides for another recipe or your compost pile.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large pan, saute’ onions until soft and translucent, about five minutes. Add carrots, zucchini insides, garlic, thyme, and oregano and stir. Saute’ for another 3 to five minutes, until carrots begin to soften. Add tomatoes and continue to saute’ for another five minutes, until the tomatoes have begun to cook down into a sauce. Stir in vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Remove from heat.
Stir vegetables into rice. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stuff rice mixture into zucchini and place in a baking dish. Surround with remaining rice mixture. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until zucchini is crisp tender and is easily pierced with a fork. Serve hot.
