Spinach pesto-stuffed courgettes
Courgettes are abundant and at a good price for the summer months, so eat them every way you can, like in a salad with crispy chickpeas, or a roast pepper frittata. Change the bread and cheese in this recipe to suit your dietary needs, making this recipe gluten-free or vegan.
Serves 4
2 cups baby spinach
2 cloves garlic
2 slices wholemeal bread
1 cup grated parmesan
½ cup olive oil
½ tsp salt
2 tsp lemon zest
Pinch chilli flakes
4 medium courgettes
100g cherry tomatoes
Basil leaves, to garnish
Method
Preheat oven to 180degC.
For the spinach pesto, place the spinach, garlic, bread, ¾ cup parmesan, oil, salt, lemon zest and chilli flakes in a kitchen processor. Blitz until well combined.
Cut the courgettes in half lengthways. Using a teaspoon, scoop out about a third of the flesh. Place the halves in a baking dish. Fill each with spinach pesto. Sprinkle over the remaining parmesan and dot around the tomatoes.
Place in the oven for 25 minutes or until golden and the courgettes are just softened. Serve them while they are hot.
Courgette, corn and crispy chickpea salad
For this salad, transform a very versatile tin of chickpeas into crunchy bites. They also work well in a coleslaw or add some spice to the chickpeas before you place them into the oven and eat as a healthy snack.
Dressing
2 Tbsp tahini
1 Tbsp runny honey
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 Tbsp lemon juice
½ cup Greek yoghurt
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Pinch chilli flakes
Salt and pepper, to taste
Salad
400g tin chickpeas, drained
¼ cup olive oil
2 corn cobs
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 medium courgettes, sliced
½ tsp smoked paprika
2 cups baby spinach
Few mint leaves to garnish, optional
Method
Preheat oven to 180degC.
Place the chickpeas in an oven tray. Pat them dry with a piece of paper towel. Add 1 tablespoon of oil, salt and pepper to season. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until crispy.
For the dressing, whizz together (using a stick blender or whisk) the tahini, honey, garlic, lemon juice, yoghurt and mustard. Add a pinch of chilli flakes then season with salt and pepper.
Using a sharp knife, remove the corn from the cobs.
Heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan. Add the garlic, cooking for 2 minutes. Add the courgettes, cook for 3-4 minutes, then toss in the corn, cooking until corn is bright in colour. Stir through the paprika until combined. Add the spinach, just to wilt.
Serve the salad warm with tahini dressing and sprinkle over the crispy chickpeas. — viva.co.nz
