Quick & Easy Vegan Cooking on CT Style

It was great to be back on WTNH's "CT Style" show today! I got up bright and early yesterday morning to do a little prep for the Black Bean and Quinoa Stuffed Zucchini Boats, then headed out to the studio for the taping.

This is one of my favorite recipes because it's quick to make and perfect to eat after a long day at work when there's no time or energy left to slave in the kitchen. You can also use it to stuff peppers and tomatoes, then simply pop them into a warm oven for 10-15 minutes just before you're ready to eat. I serve the stuffed zucchini with a luxurious Roasted Red Pepper Coulis that really kicks the flavors up that proverbial notch. I like to make a big batch of the quinoa stuffing because it's also delicious the next day eaten as a cold salad.

Check the CT Style link to watch the full clip of me demonstrating how to assemble the recipe.

Black Bean and Quinoa Stuffing

1/2 cup quinoa

3/4 cup of water

1/2 cup onion, diced

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp sea salt

fresh black pepper

1 15 oz. can of black beans, drained and rinsed

½ cup green onion, sliced

Place quinoa, water, and onion in a sauce pot, cover and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer 15-20 minutes, or until quinoa is tender. Fluff quinoa lightly and transfer to a large bowl. Gently combine quinoa with cumin, chili powder, black beans and green onion. Season with sea salt and black pepper.

Baked Zucchini

2 zucchini, sliced in half length-wise

2 Tbl olive oil

sea salt

fresh black pepper

Scrape the seeds out of the zucchini with a spoon, leaving the walls of each hollowed-out half about ½-inch thick. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Bake at 400 degrees for about 10-15 minutes, or until fork tender. Fill with black bean and quinoa stuffing.

Roasted Red Pepper Coulis

12 oz. roasted red peppers

1-2 Tbl olive oil

1 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp sea salt

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

pinch cayenne pepper (optional)

1-2 Tbl water (as needed)

Puree ingredients in a food processor or blender until thick sauce forms, adding water if necessary.