Buckwheat Stuffed Zucchinis

A few months ago I went to a bulk store where I bought a giant bag of buckwheat groats. I love the idea of adding more whole grains to my kitchen, but this bag of grains got lost in my pantry. When I found it again this morning, I decided to give it a go. I also had pretty little ball zucchinis waiting to be cooked, so I combined both and made stuffed zucchinis.

I started by cooking the buckwheat groat to have a better idea of their taste. I was really surprised! These grains have a subtle bread-like taste that is very mild, but still unique. These are also great because they cook so quickly! They would be a perfect alternative for rice as a side dish too.

Combined with the fresh summery flavours of tomatoes and basil, these stuffed zucchinis were delicious!

Here is what you need:

For the stuffed zucchinis:

• 1 cup buckwheat groats
• 8 king oyster mushrooms
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 2 tbs tomato paste
• 1 can chickpeas
• 3 stalks green onions
• 1/3 cup pepitas
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4-5 ball zucchinis

For the sauce:

• the flesh of the zucchinis
• 3 tomatoes
• 3 laurel leaves
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary leaves
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper to taste

Here is what you need:

1. In a sauce pan, combine the buckwheat groats with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and let simmer until all the water is absorbed. This should take less than 10 minutes. Set aside in a large mixing bowl.
2. Cut the mushrooms in tiny pieces. In your sauce pan, add the oil and the mushrooms and let cook on medium-high heat. Add the tomato paste along with 1/2 cup and mix well. Once all the water has evaporated, add the mushrooms to the buckwheat.
3. Mince the garlic cloves and green onions and add to the mix.
4. Add the chickpeas, pepitas and basil leaves and mix until everything is well combined. Taste and add salt and pepper accordingly. Set aside.
5. Cut the caps off your zucchinis and hollow them out using a spoon. Make sure your zucchinis are still about 5-7mm thick all around. Set aside.
6. Fill the zucchinis with the buckwheat filling and close with their caps. Place on a lined cookie sheet. Cook for 45 minutes at 350F.
7. Dice the 3 tomatoes and place them in your sauce pan. Add the zucchini flesh and the laurel leaves, rosemary leaves and red pepper flakes. Place on medium heat and mix.
8. Once the tomatoes are completely mushed, remove from the heat. Add the basil leaves, salt and pepper. Using your wand mixer, process the sauce until smooth. Set aside.
9. To serve, place some sauce at the bottom of your plate, add a zucchini and garnish with some green onions and basil leaves. Enjoy!

These are so cute! They were delicious: the sauce added just enough moisture to the dish, while the buckwheat made it super filling and delicious. The contrasting textures of the mushrooms and pepitas also made every bite exciting. But, really, how cute are they? Let me know if you try this out!