Turkey Stuffed Zucchini Boats

I have been experimenting with healthier meals recently and this was one of my awesome recipe finds! I found it on Pinterest and it is from Recipe Girl which is written by Lorie Lane. Her website is full of amazing recipes and beautiful pictures! Hop on over and check it out - I'll still be here when you get back.

This recipe is great because you can really mix it up by varying the meat, the vessel, the cheese etc. Be creative and try different combinations!

Here is my version of the recipe - I stuck pretty close to Lorie's version and just changed a couple things based on personal preference and what I had on hand. You can check out the original recipe here.

Turkey Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Recipe minimally adapted from Recipe Girl

Ingredients:

• Four medium zucchini, ends trimmed then cut in half lengthwise
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 3 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 1 lb hot Italian turkey sausage
• 1/2 cup tex mex shredded cheese blend
• 3/4 cup roasted garlic marinara sauce
• 3 tbsp. fresh basil, finely chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a baking tray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Use a small spoon to hollow out the zucchini halves - don't scrape all the way to the skin, just hollow out a nice spot to put your stuffing. Place pulp onto your cutting board, roughly chop it up and place it in a medium bowl.
3. Place a medium skillet over medium heat. Add sausage, zucchini pulp, and onions. Sauté until onions are soft and sausage is cooked through and starting to brown. Add garlic and stir until fragrant. Pour mixture through fine mesh sieve to drain off excess moisture from zucchini and any oil from the sausage. Transfer meat mixture to a medium bowl. Add all but two tbsp. of the cheese to the meat mixture, along with the marinara sauce and the basil. Stir til combined adding salt and pepper to taste if desired.
4. Divide meat mixture between hollowed out zucchini, mounding each one and pressing firmly into cavity. Set the filled zucchini halves on prepared baking dish and sprinkle with remaining two tbsp. of cheese - adding extra cheese if desired.
5. Bake in preheated oven 30 minutes or until zucchini boats are tender.

 The original recipe called for one full cup of cheese, but since I'm trying to eat healthier and consume less fat, I cut that amount down. You can add the full amount of cheese if you're not as calorie conscious (seriously jealous right now if you're that person).

 Next time I make this recipe I am going to sauté some mushrooms as well and mix them in with the meat mixture to add a little extra bulk! But overall we really, really enjoyed this recipe and I will definitely be making it again in the near future.

Happy Cooking my Friends!