Stuffed Heirloom Tomatoes With Cucumber Salad & Tzatziki Sauce

This super-easy stuffed heirloom tomato recipe is delicious, full of nutrients, and filling. Who knew giving a locally grown heirloom tomato center stage on your plate could be so satisfying? Even a meat fiend will find these too tempting to resist. As a warning, we are right in the middle of tomato season, so tie a napkin to your shirt collar. The juices will flow.

Selecting couscous in the filling was an easy choice. Couscous is a main staple in countries all over the world due to its affordability and high nutrition base. This tiny, round dry pasta not only boasts high protein and fiber, but contains less than 1 gram of fat for every cup. Other filling options include rice, quinoa, orzo and beans.

Last but not least, the creamy (and 100% vegan) Tzatziki sauce gives this dish the perfect coolness atop the cucumber salad. The distinguished flavors of fresh-picked dill and mint leaves give this sauce an authentic taste that’s hard to beat.

Thank you to South Winds Farm, Food Conspiracy Co-op Garden, Garden’s Best Farm, and Old Pueblo Mushroom Growers for providing all the ingredients needed to make this meal possible.

If stuffing and baking these summer beauties isn’t your thing, I highly recommend Harvest Restaurant. This northside restaurant not only features local and seasonal produce, but welcome special requests for organic, non-GMO, and vegan meals.

Stuffed Heirloom Tomatoes

• 4 large heirloom tomatoes*
• 1 cup couscous*
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 cup mushrooms, chopped*
• 1 medium chili pepper, chopped*
• 1 onion, chopped*
• 2 garlic cloves, minced*
• 1 tbsp Smart Balance-Organic*
• 1 tsp dill, chopped*
• 2 tsp sea salt

Slice the stem tops off and scoop out the inside of tomatoes.  Bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes. Boil water with added 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp Earth Balance. Add couscous, remove from heat and cover. Allow to steam for 5 minutes and fluff with fork. Saute onions, garlic, mushrooms and chili in Earth Balance for 5 minutes and pour onto couscous and toss. Generously add filling inside tomatoes and plate.

Tzatziki Sauce

• 1 cup of soaked cashews*
• 2 garlic cloves, minced*
• 2 tbsp tahini*
• 2 tbsp lemon juice*
• 1 tbsp dill, chopped*
• 1 tbsp parsley, chopped*
• 1 tbsp hemp seeds*
• 1 tbsp olive oil*
• 1/2 tsp mint, chopped*
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 diced cucumber*

Set aside cucumber and blend all ingredients well. Serve with stuffed tomatoes and cucumber salad.

*Indicates organically grown