Zucchini Taco Roll Ups

A Mexican treat, without the guilt.

Two words I’ve been hearing more and more in the past few years are “gluten free.” Restaurant menus highlight their gluten-free dishes, and supermarkets carry gluten-free versions of everything from pizza to blueberry muffins. I haven’t jumped on the gluten-free bandwagon myself, but I’m trying harder to come up with recipes that gluten-free eaters can enjoy.

So when I got the idea for these taco rolls – tasty little bite-sized versions of a taco – I wondered whether there was something I could use in place of the flour tortillas to make them gluten-free. There’s always corn tortillas, of course, but those seem to dry out and crumble when you bake them. I wanted something that would stay soft and roll up smoothly.

I started poking through my fridge, looking for ideas, and when I saw this big zucchini in the veggie drawer, a light bulb went off over my head. A zucchini-shaped light bulb.

It sounds crazy, but it worked! Cutting the zucchini into long, thin pieces and baking them made perfect, soft veggie strips that I could roll right around the meat, beans, and corn. Then I laid them out in a dish with salsa on the bottom and cheese on top, and these Zucchini Taco Roll Ups came out as tender, juicy bites bursting with Mexican flavor.

Now all I need to do is learn the Spanish for “gluten free,” and I’m all set.

Zucchini Taco Roll Ups

Makes about 16 rolls

Ingredients:

1 large or 2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise
2 cups of cooked shredded chicken
1 teaspoons of taco seasoning ( here is my famous taco seasoning!)
1 clove of minced garlic
1/4 cup of corn kernels
1/4 cup of black beans, drained
1 cup salsa
2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Garnish:
Salsa, sour cream and cilantro

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place zucchini slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 5-10 minutes, remove from oven.Once zucchini has slightly cooled, gently remove excess water with a paper towel.

2. In a bowl, add chicken, beans, corn, and seasonings. Set aside.

3. Add salsa to the bottom of a baking pan. Add 1.5 tablespoons of chicken mixture to a slice of zucchini.

4. Gently roll zucchini. Place zucchini, seam side down onto the pan. Repeat with remaining zucchini.

5. Cover zucchini rolls with shredded cheese.

6. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until cheese is melted and slightly golden colored. Serve with topped with optional salsa, sour cream and cilantro toppings!

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Corey, Darryl, Big D & Little D

Zucchini Taco Roll Ups

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

35 mins

Corey: Corey Valley

Serves: 4

Ingredients

clove of minced garlic
¼ cup of corn kernels
¼ cup of black beans, drained
1 cup salsa
2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Garnish:
Salsa, sour cream and cilantro

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place zucchini slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 5-10 minutes, remove from oven.Once zucchini has slightly cooled, gently remove excess water with a paper towel.
In a bowl, add chicken, beans, corn, and seasonings. Set aside.
Add salsa to the bottom of a baking pan. Add 1.5 tablespoons of chicken mixture to a slice of zucchini. Gently roll zucchini. Place zucchini, seam side down onto the pan. Repeat with remaining zucchini.
Cover zucchini rolls with shredded cheese.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until cheese is melted and slightly golden colored. Serve with topped with optional salsa, sour cream and cilantro toppings!