Zesty Zucchini Boats

Shopping List

• Sweet Italian chicken sausage  

• Light pasta sauce  

• Medium zucchini 

• White onion, diced 

• Red bell pepper, diced 

• Low moisture, part-skim, shredded mozzarella

  cheese 

• Reduced-fat Parmesan cheese 

• Garlic, minced 

• Extra virgin olive oil 

• Salt 

• Pepper 

• Garlic powder  

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 

2. Cut 4 medium  zucchinis length wise. Using a spoon or melon baller, remove seeds and scoop out flesh and chop the flesh into bite size pieces. Set aside the flesh in a small bowl. 

3. Drop the zucchini halves in boiling water and boil for 1 ½ minutes. Remove zucchini halves from water and dry zucchini with a paper towel. 

4. Use a 9x12 inch baking pan and spread a little over ¼ cup of marinara sauce into bottom of pan 

5. Place the zucchini halves on top of the sauce with the open side facing up. 

6. In a large sauté pan, brown ½ lb. sausage and chop into small pieces while browning. Drain sausage and set aside. 

7. Add non-stick cooking spray to sauté pan and add 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil. Add ½ onion(diced), 2 Tbsp. garlic, and ½ cups red bell pepper to pan and sauté for 2 minutes until softened. 

8. Add in chopped zucchini to onions, red pepper and garlic. Season with 1/4 tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. pepper and 1 tsp. garlic powder and cook for an additional 2 minutes. 

9. Return chopped sausage to sauté pan and mix with chopped zucchini, onions, peppers and garlic. 

10. Using a spoon or spatula, add equal amounts of sausage mixture to each zucchini half. 

11. Top each zucchini half with remaining sauce. 

12. Add ½ cup reduced-fat mozzarella cheese to each zucchini half, then sprinkle with 2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese. 

13. Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake for 30-35 minutes until cheese has melted and zucchini is cooked through.