Quinoa, Chickpea and Apricot Stuffed Marrow

I have had this recipe in my head for ages and finally got round to making it yesterday. It is perfect for me at the moment as it is low in calories, full of protein as well as being low GL. I thought that before I went into details of the recipe it might be a good idea to discuss just what a marrow is. I think the only place the term marrow is used in the UK and it is basically a summer squash that is very similar to courgette/zucchini but just a bit fatter and so you get a good bit of meat out of it. I actually used mini marrows for this recipe but I have put a picture of a regular old marrow below.

When I used to eat dairy one of my favourite things would be to have the delicate taste of the marrow flesh coated in butter. I think I am going to have to come up with a vegan alternative because the idea is in my head right now. If you have not used them before then you might want to only lightly cook them and if you add them to soups or casseroles then they will quickly break up and so will be excellent at bulking your soup up.

In terms of the recipe I have spiced the quinoa to have Moroccan flavours but have kept it quite subtle so that I did not over power the marrow. For some reason I have had the idea in my head of the quinoa and apricot for ages but decided yesterday that the chickpeas would be a brilliant addition because they are so good for weight loss, balancing your blood sugar and generally just making you feel great.

I also wanted to keep this recipe quite summery and light so have made sure I included fresh herbs and plenty of lemon juice. Both of these elements help to make a dish seem so much more suited to the summer months and easy to eat in the hot weather. For those of you that don’t know we are probably having the longest run of hot wether in London that I can remember, it is lovely but you need to eat appropriately and do the minimum of cooking. The great thing about this dish is that you can eat it warm or at room temperature, whatever suits you best.

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Quinoa, Chickpea & Apricot Stuffed Marrow

Serves 4

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 30 mins

Total Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

2 Mini Marrows, halved and inner flesh removed and chopped
150g/3/4 Cup + 2 Tbs Quinoa
1 Onion, finely chopped
1 Heaped tsp Cumin Seeds
1 tbs Olive Oil
2 Garlic Cloves, crushed
1/4 tsp Turmeric
300ml/1 cup + 2 tbs Vegetable Broth
1 x 400g/15oz can of  Chickpeas
3 Apricots, stones removed and chopped
50g/1/3 cup Almonds, roughly chopped
A good handful of fresh Parsley, roughly chopped
3 tbs Lemon Juice
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Paprika
1/4 tsp So Low Salt

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the cumin seeds and onion and cook until the onion begins to soften then add the garlic and cook for 2-3 more minutes.

2. Add the quinoa to the pan, heat for 30 seconds then add the broth and turmeric and cook on a high heat to boiling.

3. Allow pot to boil uncovered until the liquid has halved then add the marrow centres, cover, reduce heat and simmer until all the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat and set aside.

4. While the quinoa is cooking place the marrow halves in a large pan and cover in boiling water. Place over a low heat and cook until tender, it should only take about 10 minutes, then remove from pan and set aside.

5. While everything is cooking combine the chickpeas, apricots and almonds in a large bowl. 

6. In a small bowl mix together the lemon juice, cinnamon, paprika and salt.

7. When the quinoa is cooked stir in the chickpea mix and pour over the lemon juice dressing, stir well and taste adjusting seasoning as needed.

8. Stir in the parsley and transfer filling to marrow boats and serve.

Nutrition

When I tell you this dish is packed full of good stuff I am not exaggerating, there is a good dose of a number of vitamins and minerals plus a healthy helping of fibre and all that protein to make sure you stay fuller for longer.

Some of the highlights of this dish include:

• Approximate GI of only 20
• Estimated GL of 11
• Low in saturated fat
• No cholesterol
• High in iron
• High in manganese
• Very high in vitamin B6
• Good doses of vitamins A and C