Last week it was raining in Oregon. I know, it’s a shocker. This month I’m doing a 30-day walking challenge, which means instead of enjoying the gentle tapping of raindrops on my roof, I was out slogging away in it, getting drenched in the process. It’s not all bad. It smells good. It’s not very cold. Things could definitely be worse. However, all that rain made me wish for a boat. Since I had no boat, I decided to set sail on zucchini boats instead.
If you haven’t tried polenta, this is a simple but delicious recipe to get you started. It might look basic, but it was the perfect rich, creamy counter balance for my crunchy, zesty zucchini boats. If you have any left over, put it in a dish or pan in the fridge and it will set up solid. Then slice and pan fry, grill or bake it for a crunchy little cake. It’s like two foods in one!
I made this as a main dish, but if you want something a little heartier, it would be great with a side of chicken or fish or pork chop or…you get the idea.
Zucchini Boats on a sea of creamy polenta. Mmmm.
Roasted Zucchini Boats on a Creamy Polenta Sea
4 zucchini
1 cup chopped tomato
4 oz. goat cheese
Salt & pepper
Olive oil
3-4 green onions, sliced and divided
1 cup dry polenta
4 cups water or broth
4 oz. cream cheese
1 tbsp. butter
Preheat oven to 375˚. Slice each zucchini lengthwise. Using a spoon or melon baller, scoop the seeds out of your zucchini.
A little zucchini canoe.
Fill your boats with tomatoes, cheese and half the green onions. Sprinkle with salt & pepper. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Bake for 15-20 minutes until zucchini is tender.
While the zucchini boats are cooking, bring 4 cups of water or broth to a boil. Add one cup of polenta. Cover and cook 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. When all the water is absorbed, remove from heat and stir in butter, cream cheese and the rest of the green onions. Season to taste with salt & pepper. Ladle some polenta onto a plate and top with zucchini boats. Serves 4.
3hungrymonkeys 