Growing Things: Zuccanoes and a Bean

This morning, when I was running, something strange happened.  I started talking to my abdomen.  You see, last night I ate an entire pint of ice cream before going to bed, and I felt I needed to inform my abdomen that we wouldn't be doing that again, that a pint of ice cream all at once wasn't good for it.  I knew, really, that I was talking to the Bean.

This is a real shift for me.  I have been in a state of denial for 12 weeks now, waiting for the other shoe to drop, waiting to lose yet another pregnancy.  I haven't wanted to connect, I guess; it's easier to cope with loss if you don't connect, right?  As I caught myself talking to my abdomen, one voice in my head said, "danger ... don't do that to yourself.  You're just setting yourself up for disappointment"  Another voice said, "woman, you are PREGNANT.  Accept it."

While I know that giving birth to a living child is far from guaranteed me, the fact that I even heard the second voice is probably a good sign, even if it's a little scary.

Things continue to grow all around me (after all, I do live in the Garden State), and I pulled two of my own zucchini out of the garden this week (to spite my husband who said they wouldn't grow), so along with the CSA haul, we had enough for zuccanoes (pronounced ZOO-canoes, in case you were wondering).   These are basically stuffed zucchini, but they're much more fun if you think of them as small boats.  Certainly, my son thought so.  I had tried to come up with a creative addition for paddles, but they got brought to the table before I could do anything about it.  And though you might look at the ingredients and think, "ew" (and granted, the Moosewood folks were still a bunch of hippies in 1977), I assure you, the flavors all come together and it's hard to stop yourself from having yet another.  In my case, another and another.  I'm feeling a little ravenous.

Zuccanoes (adapted from the Moosewood Cookbood)

3 medium zucchini
1 c. cooked soybeans or brown rice
1/2 lb. mushrooms, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 T. sunflower seeds
3 eggs
1 1/2 c. cottage cheese
1/4 c. wheat germ
3 T. tamari (or soy sauce)
1 c. grated cheddar cheese
dash Worcestershire sauce
dash Tabasco (I omit this)
rosemary
basil
thyme

Slice zucchini (or summer squash) in half lengthwise. Scoop out insides, leaving 1/4″ rim so so canoe stays intact. Saute in butter until the liquid is gone: chopped zucchini innards, mushrooms, onion, garlic, sunflower seeds and season to taste with rosemary, basil, and thyme.
 
Beat 3 eggs. Mix with cottage cheese, wheat germ, tamari, Tabasco, Worcestershire, grated cheese, soybeans or brown rice. Add the sauteed vegetables.

Stuff the canoes generously. If you have leftover stuffing, put it into a small dish or some aluminum foil and bake alongside the canoes.  Sprinkle with paprika (if you want to ... I omit this) and bake 40 min. at 350.
 
Serve topped with extra grated cheese or sour cream if you like; I didn't think it was necessary.