Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Farmer Direct Co-op, however all opinions, content and enthusiasm are my own.
Spiralizing zucchini is trend that will never grow old, but every now and then I like to turn the tide and unleash deliciously stuffed zucchini boats for dinner. I’m not talking about the old-school stuffed squash my mama used to make with our backyard garden bumper crop, it might have been a bit mushy, bland, and hard to swallow (sorry mom). Instead, my recipe for Carnitas & Street Corn Stuffed Zucchini Boats with “Ole Frijoles” Pinto Bean Sauce is totally crave-worthy and turns supper-time with spicy south-of-the-border fiesta. 
With pre-shredded pork roast and pinto beans cooked overnight, this family favorite recipe can be made in just 30 minutes – making it perfect for a busy weeknight meal. It can also be prepped the night before and popped in the oven 20 minutes before dinner. I’ve used pinto beans from Farmer Direct Co-op and, at the end of this post, you can grab the zucchini recipe and also enter to win a giveaway prize pack that includes an assortment of their top-selling organic, non-GMO and fair-trade products packaged in 1lb. bags.
If you’ve never made pork carnitas, you’re missing out. This popular Mexican dish is simply a pork shoulder roast prepared via Dutch oven or slow cooker using a mild application of spices like cumin, oregano, Chile pepper. If you’re still shying away or don’t have a big family to finish off the leftovers, carnitas can also typically be found pre-cooked and packaged in lesser quantity in the convenience section of the meat department. You can also substitute shredded chicken.
Pan-roasted corn sprinkled with queso fresco (crumbled Mexican cheese) and Tajin, a seasoning consisting of ground dried chilies, dehydrated lime and sea salt, will put this zippy zucchini dish at the top of your most-requested list.
And the sauce, you’re “gonna lika da sauce”! My Ole Frijoles Sauce is made with pureed pinto beans and tomatoes spiced up with chipotle chili powder. The sauce resembles a mixture between refried beans and soup, trust me it’s delicious! And you can use this bean sauce on the Carnitas & Street Corn Stuffed Zucchini or in a number of other clever ways – a sauce for pasta or zoodles, on an omelet, as a dip, or atop the dough on a southwestern pizza.
So, let me let spill the remainder of the beans about the Ole Frijole Pinto Bean Sauce. 
The little pintos used in the sauce are actually a powerhouse of nutrition. Virtually fat-free and loaded with fiber, pinto beans are also a great source of protein and also provide a good deal of iron, copper, magnese, potassium and folate. I like how Farmer Direct Co-op really stands behind and supports the idea of cooperatives, groups of smaller farmers, ranchers, and other agriculture enterprises who join together to pool production and other resources for a better outcome! It’s an economy of scale and I’m all about helping out the little guy in this big corporate world. 
And, guess what, Farmer Direct Co-op is interested in helping out all of us! Their mission is to promote their co-op farmer’s organic products while building and promoting a healthy environment and socially just food system. When you purchase from Farmer Direct Co-op, you’re buying more than an oat, lentil or bean . . . you are supporting an evolution of eating focused on feeding the mind, body and soul.
Not only do they offer lb. shelf bags of Pinto Beans, French Green Lentils, Split Green Peas, Regular Rolled Oats and Quick Rolled Oats to stock up your pantry, they also offer an even wider selection of their goods (including hemp and flax seeds) in the BULK BINS at places like Whole Foods. Since you only buy what you need, shopping the bulk bins is such a great way to manage a tight food budget while helping to eliminate food waste. Plus, since these bulk items don’t come in consumer packaging, there is less materials waste and fewer carbon dioxide emissions to junk up the world.
In addition to recipe I’m sharing today, you can get loads of other wholesome, healthy recipes on their blog. And, don’t forget to enter my giveaway to win an assortment of top-selling 1 lb. bag products from Farmer Direct.
Pinto beans . . .do you have a unique way to eat them? Have you ever tried Tajin seasoning, what do you think?! Whatcha doing for Cinco de Mayo? Please share in the comments — XOXO, Jennifer
a Rafflecopter giveaway
- 12 ounces precooked carnitas (shredded pork roast)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 ears corn, kernels sheared (about 1 ¼ cups)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
- 4 8-inch long zucchini
- 1 tablespoon Tajin seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 ounces crumbled queso fresco cheese
- 3 cups cooked pinto beans
- 1/2 cup cooking liquid from beans or water
- 1 10-ounce can diced tomatoes with greed chiles (Rotel)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable stock base (a concentrate in jar or bottle)
- 2 tablespoons chopped chipotle chile in adobo sauce (from can)
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons assorted chopped vegetables (onions, bell peppers, carrots, broccoli, asparagus, etc.)
- salt and pepper to taste
- crumbled queso fresco
- chopped fresh cilantro
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Preheat oven to 400 F degrees.
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To make stuffed zucchini: Slice each zucchini in half lengthwise. Use a melon baller to scoop out a channel in each zucchini half. Chop up the scooped-out squash into small pieces and place scooped out zucchini “boats” side-by-side in a 9”x13” baking dish.
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Add olive oil to 12” skillet and bring to medium-high heat. Add chopped, scooped out zucchini, sheared corn kernels, and onion to skillet and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until vegetables are beginning to soften, but are not cooked through.
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Stir in prepared, shredded carnitas along with garlic powder, pepper and Tajin seasoning. Use a spoon or fingers to stuff this meat mixture into scooped out zucchini boats, mounding up high. Sprinkle tops evenly with the queso fresco cheese.
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Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake at 400 F degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, removing foil in last 10 minutes. Dish is done with boats have softened and cheese bubbling on top.
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While zucchini is cooking, make bean sauce. Beans should already be cooked according to package directions. This will take quite a few hours, even overnight, depending on your method – so give yourself enough time.
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Add cooked beans and all remaining ingredients for sauce to blender jar and process until smooth. Consistency should be between soup and refried beans, add more water to thin if necessary.
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Transfer bean sauce up to saucepan and warm up over medium heat.
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To serve, drizzle a generous portion of sauce on top of head zucchini boat or make a pool of about 1/2 cup bean sauce on plate and top with 2 zucchini halves. Sprinkle with additional cheese and garnish with cilantro, if desired.
I’d love to try their Regular Rolled Oats and I would make Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies! Thanks for the chance at an awesome giveaway!!
I would use all of these products, but I know my guys would love the lentils in some soup or stew!
My husband is the cook for the family, I’m sure he would think of something good to use these products for!
The split peas and lentils are great for spring soups… and I love pintos for homemade refried beans. A very useful selection of products!
I like the fresh green lentils. I would make soup.
Looking forward to trying out this recipe! Looks scrumptious!
Thank you Shan!
I would make the Pinto Beans.
If I ate pork, I would be ALL over this – but I could totally do it with CHICKEN, you think?! For some reason, pork and I do not get along, but I do love me some other meats!
It would be delicious with chicken . . .or salmon . . .haha
I would like the green peas and I would make a great ham and pea soup.
I like their Pinto Beans. I’d make chili and refried beans.
I’d go for the lentils or pinto beans to mix things up in our meals.
Definitely the lentils. I could use those for a yummy lentil soup.
I would love to make savory oatmeal bowls with the oats and lentils!
The pinto beans, i must try this recipe, I always have a handful of zucchini’s on hand, this looks soooo yummy 😀 !!
I would like the pinto beans and the peas – I make a lot of crock pot meals and know I could throw them in with almost anything!
waww! I think this recipe is making me crave for stuffed zucchini right now! looks delish thanks much for sharing!
Courtney Bentley || http://www.courtneyvioletbentley.com
Thanks Courtney! I loved the tangy zip the Tajin seasoning gave it.
I would love to try their oats! We eat oats on a regular basis for breakfast here, and we also love oatmeal chocolate chip cookies 🙂
My family loves pinto beans, so I would definitely choose those and make a pot of pinto beans and maybe some corn bread to go along with it.
Frijole sauce on everything, please!
You know it! When we lived in Houston years ago, there was Mexican food place that we ate at all the time that had this pasta dish with a purreed bean sauce and shrimp — it was my favorite and inspiration for this sauce!
As a Tex Mex lover, I cook a lot of pintos. I have not tried the Tajin seasoning, but can’t wait to try it. We also love lentils. So easy to cook that I sometimes throw a handful into casseroles and such for the extra fiber and texture.
I would use everything but we make oatmeal daily and I make some killer oatmeal muffins!
Either of the Oats and make some oat protein balls
I’d put those pinto beans in the slow cooker with onions and bacon.
I think that the organic pinto beans look really good. I would make refried beans with them.
I like the split green peas best, I would make soup…Mmmmm
I like the pinto beans. I would make burritos.
Basically want to point out I’m just thrilled
that i stumbled in your website! http://www.mfpc.tv/ch/userinfo.php?uid=1266750
I would make a red rice and beans dish.
I couldn’t love this recipe more! I know exactly what I’ll be having on Cinco de Drinko… I mean… Mayo. 😉
five drinks and you’d have to resuscitate me – haha!
These are great products. I really like the quick rolled oats. THank you
Love, love, love split green peas so would be so excited to receive them.
I’m excited about the beans. I would use them in our taco nights.
I like the Split Green Peas and I would make some kind of soup with them.
I’d love to try the Pinto Beans, they would go great with cornbread!
I would love to win the flaxseed and use it in a lot of my baking and protein shakes in the morning. Your zucchini recipe looks delicious and I am going to try that one night for dinner.
Pinto beans. I would make refried beans.
I’d get the organic peas, and put them in a tetrazzini casserole
Pinto beans for me!!
I would use them all on a daily basis
i am excited about the lentils. i love lentil soup.
I would make the pinto beans with ham and potatoes.
I would like the quick rolled oats to make cookies with.
I would make Oatmeal Cookies with the Quick Rolled Oats
I would make chili with the green lentils.
Quick Rolled Oats; breakfast!
Would love to try the French Green Lentils!!
I would like the Quick Rolled Oats to make Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, Oatmeal Bread and DIY Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Oatmeal Packets.
The Split Peas. I’ve always wanted to attempt split pea soup.
pinto beans
I would really love the pintos with some of their delicious seasoning to give them a kick.
wow
I love pinto beans and corn bread
Pinto beans!
Split Green Peas as peas are one of my favorite veggies.
French Green Lentils
the oats.
The pinto beans! There are so many Mexican dishes I could try with these! I love to cook so I’d honestly have fun with any of those ingredients! 🙂
I think I’d most like the Split Green Peas and I would make Split Pea Soup.
French Green Lentils, lentil soup.
Split pea and lentil for me I like some of the other stuff to and would probably eat a lot of it.
The split green peas would be great for a chicken Alfredo dish!
I like them all but probably especially the lentils. I’d use them in soup.
I like the pinto beans. I would probably make my chili casserole with them.
I’d love to try the split green peas and make veggie soup with them.
I would like to try the French Green Lentils and make a soup with them!
We have a Green Lentil Curry with Kale recipe that we would make !
I like the pinto beans for a great veggie chili
I would like to try the frijole sauce on an eggs with refried beans dish I used to make.
I’d love to make oatmeal with the rolled pays
I would love to try the Quick Rolled Oats! I would make breakfast smoothies with them
Since I love to make Split Green Pea Soup, I would love to try the Split Green Peas package first and foremost.
I would say the Lentils and I would make a soup.