Stuffed Zucchini with Amaranth and Sunflower Seed Cream

Stuffed zucchini is one of the most loved dishes here at home. Simple, fast and nutritious, it is a great choice for days when creativity decided to take a walk.

Zucchini is a vegetable easy to digest, rich in folic acid, which improves cardiovascular health and vitamin C, which is a powerful antioxidant and aids in sintering of the iron in the body.

Amaranth is a very nutritious and special super food: has much higher amounts of protein, calcium and iron as other cereals, phytosterols, a cholesterol-lowering element, and antioxidant.

And sunflower seed is a source of vitamin E, an antioxidant which assists in the health of hair and skin, folic acid, which is also important during pregnancy for the formation of the fetus, healthy fats and proteins.

So this dish besides being very tasty is very beneficial to health.

This is a lactose-free, gluten free and vegan recipe.

Stuffed zucchini with Amaranth and Sunflower Seed Cream Recipe

Serves: 4 persons Difficulty: Easy Time: 4 hours to soak sunflower seeds + 1 hour

Ingredients

2 medium zucchinis 2 tbsp raw sunflower seed 1/4 cup amaranth 1/2 small onion, chopped Various spices: coriander seeds, cumin and fennel, ginger and turmeric powder Olive oil to taste Salt to taste Water

Directions

1. Soak the sunflower seeds in water for about 4 hours, or if you do not have time, put them for a few minutes in warm water.

2. Cut zucchinis in half lengthwise and width. In this way, we will have total 8 pieces.

3. Cook the cutted zucchini into steam, preferably, to preserve flavor and nutrients such as vitamin C, or in water until they get soft, but do not overcook.

4. Saute onion in olive oil until gets soft and transparent, add the spices, mix and immediately add the amaranth. Add 3/4 cup water, salt to taste and cook over low heat.

5. After cooked zucchini, remove the inside part, of seeds, and set aside, leaving all the borders "closed".

6. Add to a blender drained sunflower seeds and the removed inside part of the zucchini, water gradually and salt to taste. Combine until get smooth and slightly turn a firm cream.

7. Mount the zucchini putting cream and amaranth and decorating with parsley, crushed nuts or, as I did, boiled beet strips.

8. Bake to heat and serve. It is ready!

Tips

1. Grind the spices in time to use, so it increases the digestive power and the flavor of the dish.

2. You can use the herbs you prefer: leeks, chives, parsley ...

3. At the time of salting the cream and the amaranth, consider that the zucchini is unsalted, so you can put a little bit more to balance.

4. This dish goes very well with a nice salad.

5. I used a little of the cream to make a salad of cooked beet and chard and it got amazing!

Search sources*

Kindersley, Dorling. Mariane Janikian, O livro de receitas da cozinha medicinal: informações essenciais para preparar pratos com alimentos funcionais que beneficiam a saúde, São Paulo: Publifolha, 2014.

Slywitch, Eric. Alimentação sem carne: guia prático: o primeiro livro brasileiro que ensina como montar sua dieta veretariana. 2. ed. São Paulo: Alaúde Editorial, 2015.

* The recipe was created by Teresa Laury and the theoretical data were surveyed in the above publications.