Warm Quinoa-and-Zucchini-Stuffed Tomatoes

I made stuffed tomatoes for a vegetarian dinner the other night...although we ate them before I had a chance to snap some photos! I like to cook with quinoa because it is a complete grain full of amino acids. I often use it as a substitute for couscous in one-dish entrees with veggies and, say, shrimp or chicken. Additionally, when I was in college, I made quinoa and raisin health muffins for a protein-packed breakfast-on-the-go.The following recipe was published in "The Healthy Kitchen: Recipes for a Better Body, Life, and Spirit" by Andrew Weil, MD and Rosie Daley.

WARM QUINOA-AND-ZUCCHINI-STUFFED TOMATOES

serves 6

1/2 c quinoa
2 tbs olive oil
1 1/2 c purified water or vegetable stock (I used vegetable stock)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp Italian seasoning (I substituted a mix of oregano, tarragon, and thyme)
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 c grated zucchini
2 tbs currants or raisins (I omitted this)
1 tbs chopped fresh parsley or basil (I used basil)
1/2 tsp ground curry or cumin (I used cumin)
1/4 tsp paprika
2 tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice
6 medium tomatoes
2 tsp bread crumbs
2 tbs freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small saucepan, toss the quinoa in 1 tbs olive oil, stir, pour in the water or vegetable stock, salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning, and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Pour 1 tbs olive oil into a nonstick pan and saute the chopped onions, zucchini, currants, parsley or basil, curry or cumin, paprika, and lemon juice over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Scoop the quinoa into the saute pan and mix thoroughly with a spoon until it is blended with the vegetables to make an aromatic stuffing. Remove from heat.

Create a lid for each tomato by cutting a star shape around the stem about 1/4" deep. Remove the top and set it aside. Scoop out the seeds of each tomato and some of the loose pulp, being careful to leave a strong wall of tomato all around. Spoon equal amounts of the stuffing into the cavities of each tomato, filling them up generously. Put the tomatoes in a small ceramic or glass baking dish and garnish with a sprinkle of bread crumbs and 1 tsp Parmesan cheese per tomato. Cover the baking dish with a glass lid or foil and bake for 25 minutes. Tomatoes should be firm and easy to transfer from the baking dish to the serving plates. Garnish by putting the star-shaped tomato lids back on top of each tomato.