Zucchini Skillet Dinner

Hello Again!

My apologies for my hiatus from blogging. I'm not sure if I got busy, tired of blogging, or stopped cooking awesome things (okay, it probably wasn't the latter, I'm still cooking pretty awesome things!) :)

At any rate, we are back to it! And my first recipe is sure to please. In my home, meat is king. My husband will immediately dismiss a meal if it's vegetarian. Well, as a former long-time vegetarian, I still enjoy vegetarian meals on a regular basis, so I challenge myself to find tasty dishes that my husband will also enjoy.

Well, I've done it! I discovered this recipe from Ready Set Eat (FANTASTIC website, by the way! Tons of great, simple recipes.) and made a few modifications based on my preferences.

ReadySetEat's picture is so much prettier than mine :)



Zucchini Skillet

Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
3-4 small zucchinis, quartered lengthwise and sliced
1 diced green bell pepper
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with garlic
2 tsp corn starch
1 tbsp cold water
1 tbsp italian seasoning
1/2cup (or more!) shredded cheddar/monterey jack cheese

1 cup brown rice
2.5 cups water

Directions:
1. Start your rice cooker! Add brown rice and water (could use vegetable broth too, for added flavor.)

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
3. Add zucchini and bell pepper. This is a great place to get creative! Add some diced red onion, red bell pepper, or mushrooms to add some flavor and color. Cook for about 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Add beans, undrained tomatoes and water. Increase heat and bring to a boil.

5. Add cornstarch to water and stir until dissolved. Stir cornstarch water and italian seasoning into skillet.

6. Remove from heat and let stand 2 minutes, until sauce has thickened.
7. Service zucchini mixture over rice, topped with cheese! (We add Tapatio hot sauce too!)