Gluten Free Mexican-Style Zucchini Boats

Why zucchini boats?

One of my absolute favorite things to make is zucchini boats! Zucchini is such a versatile vegetable and it makes a great substitute for those trying to be on the healthier side. (Duh, that’s why zoodles are so much better for you than noodles!) This recipe is gluten free, celiac safe, and most importantly: easy.

This recipe is one of my most common ones. I start with any type of Mexican-style taco meat whether it be pork, chicken, or steak it all works great. This recipe is great for leftovers after taco night or to repurpose meat that needs to be eaten.

The Recipe

Yield: 4-5 people
Time: 40 minutes if using already prepped meat, est 3hrs and 40 minutes if cooking roast now.

For this one, I made a pork shoulder roast in the oven. I love making roasts in the oven because I can put them in the dutch oven and then walk away for hours to do other things. It’s great for those with focus intensive jobs like design.

Ingredients

The Roast

• 1 pork roast, I used a 2.2lb shoulder roast

• 1 can Rotel, or diced tomatoes with green chilies

• 2 packets Goya Sazon seasoning

• 1 tbsp cumin

• 1 tbsp oregano

• 1 bunch of cilantro, finely chopped

• 4 tbsp peanut or vegetable oil

• 1 tsp cayenne pepper

• 1 tbsp garlic, powdered or minced

• 1 onion finally diced

• Salt and Pepper to taste

• 1 cup of water

The Boats

• 3-4 medium to large zucchinis

• 1 cup of Mexican style cheese. Make sure the cheese you use is gluten free.

• More cilantro

• Oil for drizzling

• Lime

• Hot Sauce if desired and Tajin for topping

Instructions

1. Start with the roast. Place roast in roasting pan or I use a dutch oven. Add in water, spices, cilantro, onion, and oil. Pour can of Rotel on top. Roast in oven at 375°F until the inside of the pork reads 145° on the meat thermometer. Roughly about 2-3 hours depending on the size of the roast.

Pork roast in cast iron dutch oven with mexican style spices

2. Let pork rest once cooked for about 10-15 minutes while you prepare your zucchini. Wash and slice zucchini length wise. Use a spoon to scoop out the insides and place in a separate bowl. I like to incorporate the zucchini insides with the shredded pork.

Zucchinis that have been scooped out with spoon

3. Shred your pork roast and mix some in the bowl with the zucchini insides. Mix in hot sauce if desired.

4. Place mixture back inside of emptied zucchinis. Drizzle a baking pan and place them inside. Sprinkle with cheese, hot sauce if desired, and I always put a squeeze of lime on top.

5. Bake in the oven at 375° until cheese is melted and zucchini is soft. About 20 minutes.

6. Let cool and serve! I top mine with Tapatio hot sauce, cilantro, and more lime.

Gluten Free Chicken Tortilla Soup

Nothing is better on a cold Midwestern winter day than a giant bowl of soup. Nothing is better on every single day than tacos. Put them together? Chicken Tortilla Soup. Mmm. Here is my recipe for Gluten Free Chicken Tortilla Soup.

Yield: 4-5 people
Time: 30 minutes prep time, 3 hours cook time

Ingredients:

• 2 Large Chicken Breasts

• 2 cups Chicken Broth (I use Orrington Farms as it’s gluten free!)

• A drizzle of olive oil

• 1/2 Onion

• 1 Poblano Pepper

• 4 whole cloves Garlic

• A few dried chiles

• 1 bunch of Cilantro

• 1 can Diced Tomatoes with Chiles

• 1 can Black Beans

• 1 can Corn

• 1 can Tomato paste

• 1 lime for juice and zest

• 4 tbsp Cumin

• 2 tbsp Oregano

• 1 tbsp paprika

• Salt and Pepper to taste

View fullsize

Ingredients.

Step 1. Crush and chop your garlic cloves and dried chilies. Mash them together in a mortar and pestle. Chop the cilantro, poblano pepper, and half an onion.

Step 2. Add a drizzle of oil to a pan and heat to medium-high. When pan is hot, add the garlic clove and chili mash, cilantro, poblano, and onion. Sauté on medium-high heat until fragrant and a nice crisp forms.

Step 3. Add your chicken breast to the pan and brown on both sides.

Step 4. Add in 1 can diced tomatoes with chilies, 1 can black beans, 1 can corn, and 1 can tomato paste. Stir until fully mixed. Then add in 2 cups of chicken broth slowly while mixing.

Soup with all ingredients mixed in.

Step 5. Add in the cumin, oregano, paprika, salt and pepper, and the zest of lime. Lime juice is optional but I love lime and it gives it an extra punch of flavor.

Step 6. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to a low simmer and allow to cook for 2-3 hours stirring occasionally.

Step 7. Come back later, stir, shred the chicken. Ready to eat! I topped mine off with pepper jack cheese strips, lime, cilantro, onion, and crushed tortilla chips.

Finished soup, topped with cheese, cilantro, onion, lime, and crushed tortilla chips.

Ginger Honey Thyme Pork Chops

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Wait Time: 1-3 hours

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Yields: 5 Pork Chops

Ingredients:

• 4-5 Pork Chops

• 2 tbsp Ginger

• 3 tbsp Balsamic White Vinegar

• 4 tbsp Olive Oil plus drizzle for searing

• 2 tsp Kosher Salt or Rock Salt

• 2 whole cloves Garlic

• Fresh Thyme

• 2 dried small Chili peppers

• 4 tbsp Honey

• 2 tsp Tamari Soy Sauce

• Kosher Salt or Rock Salt to taste

• Pepper to taste

Instructions:

Step 1. Take your pork chops out of the packaging. Rinse to get off that weird slime and pat dry with a paper towel.

Step 2. Place into a plastic bag. Add in 2 tbsp Ginger, 3 tbsp Balsamic White Vinegar, 3 tbsp Olive Oil, and salt. Place in fridge for 1-3 hours. The ginger, vinegar, and salt will tenderize your chops.

Step 3. While your pork is in the fridge, prepare the glaze. I use a mortar and pestal to really grind everything up. Crush and chop your 2 cloves of garlic into tiny slices, remove your thyme from the stems, and add in the two dried chilies. Grind the heck out of it all together. Once crushed, Add in 1 tbsp of Olive Oil, 2 tsp Tamari Soy Sauce, 4 tbsp Honey. Grind it all together until evenly mixed. Cover it and let it rest while you are waiting for your pork. Letting it rest is important because the chilies will become soft and the honey can become infused with the garlic and thyme.

Preheat your oven to 450° F.

Step 4. After your pork is done marinating, take it out of the fridge. Heat up a skillet or frying pan to medium high heat. Drizzle a drizzle (?) of Olive oil down and let it heat up. Take your pork chops out of the bag and let the excess juice drip off. Sear the chops on both sides until a nice golden brown appears.

Step 5. I used a cast iron skillet to sear so I decided to use the same skillet for my oven bake. If you are using a different pan, grab an oven safe small casserole dish or baking pan/tin. Arrange your seared chops so that they are not too covered up by one another so it evenly cooks. I do a pinwheel that I turn over half way through.

Step 6. Pour your glaze sauce over the chops. Place in the oven. Bake at 450°F for 15 minutes, then flip your chops over and bake for another 10 minutes. For the last 5 minutes, I hike up the oven to a 500°F broil. I broil it just enough to caramelize the glaze and add a nice crust to the chops. Use a meat thermometer and make sure your chops are at least 145°F. Let them rest for 3-5 minutes before removing from pan and plating.

The USDA recommends cooking chops, roasts, loins, and tenderloin to an internal temperature of 145° F, followed by a three-minute rest.

ENJOY. I paired it with roasted green beans and mashed potatoes.