Vegetarian Stuffed Zucchini Boats with Chickpeas, Barley, Olive & Feta

And yes, I do prefer to use those terms instead of vegetarian simply because I find it far more inclusive. Vegetarian often implies a certain lifestyle to people that many carnivores see as too boring, too prudent, or too restrained for them. That’s not necessarily my opinion, of course, but I know a lot of people who’s eyes roll when you tell them it’s “vegetarian”. I prefer not to dole out such judgmental labels because I would rather we simply appreciate delicious food for what it is- delicious! How about those nutritional benefits just be a great bonus, cool?

So this week, I had an abundance of zucchinis in the house because I got a wee-bit overenthusiastic at the store with a sale. I decided to pretty much just beef these babies up with a variety of the staple ingredients I had lying in my pantry. This is how my Vegetarian Stuffed Zucchini Boats were born.

The “Stuff” in Vegetarian Stuffed Zucchini Boats

In my vegetarian stuffed zucchini boats, I added chickpeas because they are always in my cupboard because they’re an easy simple way to add protein and fibre to any meal. Making a salad? Throw in some chickpeas. Whipping up a grain-based side? Throw in some chickpeas. Soup night? I hope you get the picture.

Now, in my vegetarian stuffed zucchini boats I went ahead and used this PC Blue Menu blend of brown rice, barley and spelt, which I have hopelessly fallen in love with as of late. It’s nutty, its chewy, and it’s a total nutritional superstar – 4 grams of fibre and 5 grams of protein per 1/4 cup! Obviously, this is just what I had on hand, but feel free to use any whole grain you’ve got- rice, quinoa, farro, bulgur, kamut- it’s all going to work out just fine.

I’m also obsessed with Middle Eastern cuisine, and I knew that the combination of the vegetarian stuffed zucchini boats with the chickpeas and grains would lend itself perfectly to that flavour profile. So in went some tahini (sesame paste, the characteristic flavour in hummus), olives, feta, lemon, mint, sumac and za’atar.

These last two are now super easy to find in your local grocery store as Middle Eastern cuisine has become uber-trendy as of late. For those who aren’t well acquainted, sumac is a bright, almost citrus-like spice with a gorgeous dark purple hue- I put it on my hummus, fish, salads, rice, asparagus, et al. Za’atar, on the other hand, is a spice blend usually consisting of a more sumac (told you I love the stuff), thyme, sesame seeds, marjoram, oregano and sometimes salt. It’s crazy yum on olives, eggs, soups, chicken, cheese- seriously, folks, whatever you’ve got.

So give this recipe for your next Meatless meal, what’s your favourite way to use up any of that end-of-season zucchini? Have you tried making vegetarian stuffed zucchini boats?