Moroccan Zucchini Boats

It is sad to have the excitement of Mr. What I Gather's Ironman race and our little vacation behind us, but it is nice to get back into my own kitchen instead of that tiny, cramped hotel room kitchen. We were lucky to have a full kitchen, so I shouldn't be complaining. We were able to cook a lot of the meals we are accustomed to eating at home and we made one of our favorite meals, Everyday Paleo's Puerto Rican Beef, for Mr. What I Gather's pre-race breakfast.

Exploring Epcot's World Showcase last week sparked me into move my cooking out of the Southwest, as it seems to have taken up permanent residence there. These little zucchini boats were inspired by the exotic flavors of Morocco! Similar to twice baked potatoes, these are made by slicing the zucchini in half and scooping out the contents to form the "boat". You then mix the seeds and flesh of the zucchini with tomatoes, onions, ground beef and spices and bake for twenty minutes for a delicious, worldly treat. These would be great served with a cucumber salad or a Moroccan tomato soup.

P.S. - Mr. What I Gather is quite a long name, so (with his permission) I will now be referring to my husband as Ironman. He earned it.   :)

Moroccan Zucchini Boats
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes


Ingredients
4 Medium Zucchini
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/3 lb ground beef
1/3 cup diced white onion
1/3 cup diced tomato
1 tsp tomato paste
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tbsp parsley
Salt and pepper to taste


Directions
-Preheat oven to 350 F.
-Spray a 9''x13'' baking dish with cooking spray or coat with oil.
-Cut zucchini in half lengthwise and, using a spoon, scoop out the seeds and flesh, leaving about a 1/4 inch thick shell. Set the seeds and flesh aside on a cutting board.
-Brush the zucchini shells with olive oil. Bake for 10 minutes, cut side up,  in prepared baking dish. Remove from the oven and set aside.
-Heat a skillet over medium heat.
-Dice the reserved zucchini flesh and add to a bowl with the diced onions, tomato, tomato paste, minced garlic and all spices.
-Add the ground beef to the skillet and cook until it starts to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the zucchini mixture to the pan and continue to cook until meat has cooked through, stirring often, an additional 5 minutes.
-Fill each zucchini shell with about 1/3 cup of filling and return to the oven for 20 minutes.