Healthy and Tasty Appetizer; Baked Zucchini Roll-Ups

Do you have a party coming up? Or are you looking for something fun to do with the last of your fresh summer zucchini? Check out this great recipe!
Baked Zucchini Roll-Ups

Ingredients

• 2 large zucchini, cut lengthwise into strips ¼-inch thick
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded, cut into quarters
• 1 T extra virgin olive oil
• 3-4 ounces herbed goat cheese **
• 1 T finely chopped basil
• 2 tsp. balsamic vinegar (I used blueberry balsamic vinegar)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Cut zucchini with a mandoline or knife
3. Add about 1 tsp. EVOO to each of two baking sheets and coat each well.
4. Add the strips of zucchini and the quartered red peppers to the baking sheets
5. Brush the zucchini and red peppers with the remaining extra virgin olive oil.
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste, if you desire
7. Bake in the oven about 3-4 minutes on each side (you may have to remove the zucchini and then allow the red pepper to bake longer in order to get soft).
8. Once zucchini and red peppers are baked, place 1 tsp goat cheese about an inch from the end of each zucchini slice. Then place a strip of red pepper down on the zucchini slice.
9. Gently roll up the strip and place seam side down on a serving plate. Repeat this with each of the zucchini slices.
10. Top the serving plate with some fresh basil and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

Notes

** If following a low FODMAPs diet be sure to use plain goat cheese, rather than herbed (Because of the onion and/or garlic).

At first I just made a few (see picture above), but then ate them all (hehe, oops!) so I had to continue making more

I’m not creative with my food photos. As you can see in the picture above, I don’t know how to garnish food. I mean, that basil is completely random. I did add a bit of the basil to the inside of some of the roll-ups and it tasted pretty delicious.

This is my new favorite way to eat zucchini. I could have easily eaten all of these in one sitting, but thankfully Nick was there to help. They are healthier apps, but their calories could still add up pretty fast. If you want to decrease the calories you could use something like Laughing Cow cheese instead of goat cheese (yum!).

QUESTION: Do you like to make fun appetizers? Do you have any favorites? Do you like goat cheese? Nick hates it, I LOVE it!