Couscous Stuffed Tomatoes with Goat Cheese and Herbs

I came home from a long day of work today, not exactly sure what to make for dinner and not feeling like I wanted to fuss with an overly complicated dish. To be honest, I wasn't even sure what I had on hand to cook with! It was just one of those days...

After a quick survey of the fridge, I ended up with some fresh basil, goat cheese, a zucchini, and tomatoes from our last trip to the farmer's market. Although these ingredients would be great for a homemade pizza or pasta dish, we've had our fill of those lately, so I opted instead for some stuffed tomatoes. I can't even remember the last time I had a stuffed tomato. Most likely, it was some time between 1987 and 1994. My mom used to make them growing up and they were so good! She filled them, I think, with a mixture of rice, cheese, and maybe some bacon. Yum!

I initially thought wild rice would be a great filling for these tomatoes, but I wasn't too keen on cooking up a batch of rice for this dish- lazy me wanted something that would be quicker than that. Couscous turned out to be a very easy and delicious alternative. It cooks quickly, and the small grains are perfect for a stuffing. The tomatoes turned out so tasty, especially when served alongside some grilled chicken and greens that were drizzled in a balsamic vinaigrette!

Ingredients:

6 medium-sized ripe tomatoes

1 cup water

2/3 cup couscous

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 yellow onion, diced

2 cloves minced garlic

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (I prefer them vacuum-packed rather than in oil)

1 cup grated zucchini

4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

2-3 tablespoons chiffonade of basil

1/2 teaspoon herbes de provence

Salt and pepper, to taste

Shredded parmesan cheese, for sprinkling

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly oil a baking dish.

-Cut the tops off of each tomato and hollow out the inside with a spoon.

-Lay the tomatoes upside down on a plate prepared with paper towels to drain while you prepare the stuffing.

-Bring the cup of water to a boil. Add the couscous, stir, and cover to allow couscous to absorb water while you prepare the vegetables.

-In skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until they begin to soften.

-Add the garlic, zucchini, and sun-dried tomatoes. Cook until vegetables are tender, 2-3 minutes.

-Remove skillet from heat. Grab the couscous, fluff with a fork and stir into vegetable mixture.

-Add goat cheese, basil, and seasonings. Adjust seasonings as needed.

-Spoon stuffing into each tomato and place in the baking dish.

-Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

-Bake at 350 degrees until topping is melted and filling is hot, about 20 minutes.