Wild Shrimp with Zucchini Sticks and Baked Stuffed Tomatoes

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My very first blog post!! (Finally!) Last night Chris and I made the most delicious dinner and I have received some great feedback from the pictures I posted so I wanted to post the recipe here for everyone to check out. We were really into the organic produce we came across and wanted to create two vegetable side dishes. The first, lightly breaded and baked Zucchini sticks and the second, baked stuffed tomatoes. We paired our veggies with garlic-butter wild shrimp but you could very easily pair your veggies with a side of brown rice or quinoa pilaf to keep it Vegetarian.

Just a little nutritional background here: Zucchini's are an amazing source of antioxidants especially when you consume the skin and the seeds and in this recipe we're incorporating both! They also offer anti-inflammatory benefits with a good source of fibre and omega 3 fatty acids. And not to mention they're in season right now!

Tomatoes are a rich source of phytonutrients and research has linked the antioxidant properties of lycopene (that's what gives the tomato its beautiful red colour) to bone health. Tomatoes have also been linked with heart health and are an amazing source of antioxidants.

Baked Zucchini Sticks: We used two green zucchini and it yielded roughly 3-4 servings. Wash your zucchini well and cut the ends off. Cut the zucchini into sticks and toss in a bowl with EVOO and a pinch of sea salt. In a separate bowl mix whole grain breadcrumbs (we got ours from Nature's Emporium and it was a mix of kamut and spelt), S&P, we like to use cumin and paprika to season with but really you could use any variation you desire. Now coat each zucchini stick in your breadcrumb mixture and coat well. Use a non stick baking sheet to place your breaded zucchini sticks on. Set your oven at 425 degrees and bake them for approximately 12 min.

Stuffed Tomatoes: We used two organic tomatoes, one for each of us. Again, wash your tomatoes well. Cut the tops off and very carefully cut just enough out of the inside of the tomato to make room for your filling. Season your tomato with S&P first. Your filling will be a combination of whole grain breadcrumbs, grated Asiago cheese(you can really use any cheese you prefer here), oregano and S&P. Stuff your tomatoes with as much of the filling as you desire and drizzle with a bit of EVOO before placing them in a 425 degree oven for 20 min.

This recipe is not only simple but it's seriously yummy! The zucchini sticks are especially kid friendly:) I hope you enjoy!! XO Valerie