Zucchini Rollatini

This is a favorite of mine for a quick and easy meal.  I usually use eggplant, but didn't have any in the house last night so I went with zucchini.  It came out great.  This is also a favorite of my non-vegan friends, so perfect when hosting guests.  Sometimes I serve this with a salad, but last night I went with broccolini. By the way, this meal is completely vegan and gluten free.

Zucchini  Rollatini
These measurements are for 2 servings. 
Ingredients:
1 large zucchini, sliced lengthwise into thin pieces
1/2 package (16 oz or so) extra firm tofu, pressed for 10 min or more to release extra water
1/4 10 oz. package frozen spinach, drained thoroughly (I used a cheese cloth to get rid of excess water)
1.5 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp of fresh Italian flat leaf parsley
1 tablespoon of vegan Parmesan
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp minced garlic
Black pepper and salt to taste

Sauce Ingredients:
1 small white onion
1/2 a red pepper
1/2 a green pepper
1 tablespoon of garlic
3 button mushrooms, chopped
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp red pepper
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons of vegan Parmesan
1/2 jar of tomato sauce (I used Classico Tomato Basil)

Using your mandolin, slice your zucchini or eggplant lengthwise into 1/4 inch thick pieces.  Place zucchini slices onto a baking sheet and sprinkle well with sea salt or kosher salt. Brush them lightly with olive oil.  Be sure to season and oil both sides.  Heat oven to 400 degrees and roast zucchini till browning (about 10 min) flipping slices halfway through.

While zucchini is roasting, transfer tofu to a bowl and crumble it with hands. Add the nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, garlic, thyme, parsley, oregano, and spinach. I use my potato masher to get the right consistency.  Then use a fork to mix well until it resembles a bowl of crumbly ricotta cheese.

When I am in a rush, I usually just used canned sauce the I jazz up. Take all the veggies and chop the well.  Add them to a small pot and saute for about 5 minutes with a little bit of olive oil and salt and pepper.  Add the sauce and vegan Parmesan and simmer on med-low heat for about 10 minutes.

When your zucchini is cooked remove it from the oven and let it cool for about 5 minutes.  As you prepare to handle it, realize that it is really delicate when cooked and can fall apart easily, so be gentle.  If you are using eggplant, it is a little more sturdy.

Take a spoonful of your tofu ricotta mixture and place it in the middle of the piece of zucchini.  Pull up the sides of the zucchini and used a toothpick to keep it together.  Repeat this for all of the zucchini pieces being very gentle. 

Place the stuffed zucchini pieces in a small baking dish and smother with sauce.  Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes until the edges start to brown.  Make sure you remove the toothpicks before serving.  Plate and sprinkle with vegan Parmesan.

This meal is so easy and so delicious!  Lots of veggies and nutrients and very filling.