I have enjoyed cooking for as long as I can remember. My mom is a great cook and she has been making home-cooked meals ever since I was little. Once I went off to college, I knew that I would have to start cooking more to save money and live a healthier lifestyle. It is nice to eat out every once in a while, but cooking in the comforts of your home is not only affordable but fun. I recently made a recipe that was very quick and easy, and it also made for great leftovers. The first recipe that I want to share with you is Zucchini Boats. The first step is to gather all of the ingredients which are as follows:

-2 medium zucchini

-3/4 pound of ground turkey

-1 onion, chopped

-1 can of black beans

-1/2 of a red pepper, chopped

-1/2 of a green pepper, chopped

-1 can of diced tomatoes

-1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese

After gathering the ingredients (you can substitute or take out any ingredients you may not like), we will begin to prepare the boats.

-First, trim the ends of the zucchini and cut them in half – lengthwise. Scoop out the center to make a “boat”

-In a skillet over medium high heat, cook the ground turkey and onion adding seasoning as desired

-Add in the black beans, peppers, and tomatoes once the meat is browned

-Once meat is browned and vegetables are cooked thoroughly, scoop into the zucchini boats and sprinkle with cheese

-Place the boats on a pan and bake in the oven at 350 degrees, uncovered, for about 15-20 minutes

-Let cool, then top with taco sauce, hot sauce, and/or a dollop of sour cream

This quick and easy meal is ready in under 30 minutes and one stuffed zucchini is only about 300 calories – easy and healthy.

Another quick recipe that I want to share with you is also another one that I just recently made which is Mediterranean Greek Salad. If you are looking for a quick snack that you can eat through the week, then this salad is perfect for you. Here are the ingredients that you will need:

-3 cucumbers, sliced

-2 cups of crumbled feta cheese

-1/2 red onion

-3 cups of diced tomatoes

-1 cup of black olives, sliced

-1 can of chickpeas

-2 Tbsp olive oil

-2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

-Garlic powder and pepper

Once the ingredients are gathered, follow these directions:

-Toss the cucumbers, tomatoes, black olives, chickpeas, onion, and cheese in a large bowl

-Mix the olive oil, vinegar, garlic power and pepper in a small bowl

-Pour dressing in over top in large bowl and mix.

*One of my favorite dressings is garlic expressions – adding a drizzle of this over top, will be a perfect addition. This is a quick and easy snack that you can whip up to snack on for the week.

Both of the above recipes are simple, so if cooking is not something you do often, don’t worry. Just follow the directions above and you will have two brand new recipes that you will love and incorporate into your monthly schedule of meals. Check back soon for another cooking column of recipes that take less than 30 minutes to make.