Zucchini Boats; Diabetes Friendly Thursday

Food is what keeps us going!! Do I sound crazy?? Think about it, really! If we didn't have hunger, we would not be working. Food is at the center of all celebrations; birthdays, holidays, religious festivities, you name it! For that matter, even on a everyday basis, we think about food. What are we going to have for breakfast, what are we having for lunch, what shall we eat for dinner. If food is such an important part of our lives then it is essential that we enjoy our food. Just because we have some health conditions like diabetes, it doesn't mean that we give up / stop enjoying food. What it means however, is that we make the right choices that suits our body and makes it function maximally. There is plenty of food out there that is healthy and tasty.

This weekend on Valentine's Day, let us make something healthy and delicious for our loves ones. Team DFT has come together to bring you a collection of diabetes friendly appetizers.

So, lets celebrate Valentine's Day with Team DFTs weight watchers and Diabetes Friendly appetizers.

Creating Recipes with a Cause! I am a proud DFT blogger.

To learn about DFT, Read this Link!

To view more DFT recipes, Click here!

My contribution to this is the very easy, very healthy, very delicious and almost calorie-free zucchini boats. You have to try it to believe me!!

This is one of those recipes that I fell in love with instantly. I have been making this for a couple of years now and every time I made it, it has been a huge hit. I have been meaning to blog about it for a long time now, but it didn't happen until now. You can find the original recipe here.

I am bringing these healthy treats to my friends at Throwback Thursday #25, Fiesta Friday #106 and Saucy Saturdays.Angie's Fiesta Friday co-hosts this week are Steffi @ Ginger & Bread and Andrea @ Cooking With a Wallflower.

Servings: 4 ( 2 pieces/ half a zucchini per person)

Ingredients:

Zucchini : 2 medium-sized ones
Grape/cherry tomatoes: around 16-20.
Bread crumbs: 2 tbsp
Olive oil: 1-2 tsp ( for brushing the zucchini slices, may not need all)
Salt: to taste
Freshly ground black pepper powder: 1/2 tsp
Shredded cheese: 2 tbsp ( Any cheese will do; mozzarella preferred; can be adjusted as per individual preference).

Method:

Clean the zucchini and tomatoes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degree F.

Prepare a baking sheet by lining with foil or parchment paper and keep ready.

Slice the zucchini lengthwise into two slices.

Scoop out the seeds in the center using a teaspoon to create a groove running the length of the zucchini slice, thereby making a "boat".

Brush the zucchini slices with olive oil.

Slice the grape tomatoes into two.

Arrange the grape tomatoes in the groove of the sliced zucchini. You might need around 8-9 tomato halves.

Sprinkle salt and pepper on the zucchini and tomato. You can do this before or after placing the tomatoes.

Now sprinkle bread crumbs along the length of the boat.

Arrange the prepared zucchini boats on the baking tray.

Place the tray on the center rack of the oven and bake at 350 degree F for 20-25 minutes.

Take it out. Sprinkle some shredded cheese on each boats and put it back in the oven.

Bake for another 6-8 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Ensure that you don't burn the cheese.

Slice each boat into two pieces if the boat was too long. You can keep "as is " if you wish.

Serve hot.

Best when served immediately.

Cooking made easy:

If you don't have cherry or grape tomatoes, you could use slices of regular tomatoes.

You can be adventurous and stuff the boat with anything else that you feel like!

This could be also made using the broiler or the grill. It is much faster and can be ready in just 10 minutes!

Footnotes (Tip for healthy living):

Apart from being the very low calorie vegetable ( 17 calories per 100 grams, Zucchini is one of the best sources of dietary fiber. It is a great source of manganese and vitamin C. It is also a good source of vitamin A, magnesium, folate, potassium, copper and phosphorous.

Tomatoes too are low-calorie food with much needed dietary fiber. It is a great source of vitamin C and lycopene, a powerful phytochemical with anti-oxidant properties.

Mozzarella cheese is a good source of protein and calcium. It should however be eaten in very small amounts.

References:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/334127-the-health-benefits-of-zucchini/
http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/benefits-raw-grilled-zucchini-2771.html
https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/vegetable/health-benefits-of-zucchini.html

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/health-properties-tomatoes
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=44
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/273031.php

http://www.livestrong.com/article/268074-nutrition-facts-on-mozzarella-cheese/
http://www.joybauer.com/food-articles/cheese.aspx

Disclaimer

I am not a nutritionist or dietician. My knowledge and information is based on my research and reading from different resources. Please consult your doctor or dietician before making any changes to your diet.