Turkey and Italian Sausage Zucchini Boats

To say that I love to eat would be an understatement. Usually the things we love to eat are super unhealthy, so I am always working on ways to make healthy things taste like the super fattening things I love. I like green vegetables, but I would be lying if I told you they got me as excited as a pizza dripping with cheese. sausage and a great marinara sauce. These zucchini boats are delicious and make me feel like I am eating pizza. Even my son loves them!  The first thing he said when he looked at it was: "I don't like it." I have very clear rules that he must taste something before he decides if he likes it or not, so after one bite: "Mom, this is good, what is it? 

Aren't kids hilarious? LOL

What gives these so much great flavor is the Italian sausage. I use Turkey Italian Sausage and mix it with ground turkey.  It is super flavorful and healthy, but you can use any meat you want and this would be just as tasty, but if you are going for healthy, stick with turkey or chicken. I mix ground turkey and turkey Italian sausage, but you can certainly use all sausage or all ground turkey. I like to mix the turkey Italian sausage with the ground turkey so that I can freeze half of it and use it for spaghetti sauce or lasagna at a later date.

Start with fresh zucchini that has been washed and slice in half.

 Hollow out the zucchini by scraping out the inside. Chop the inside that you scooped out and set it aside

Before you go any further. Boil some water and drop the zucchini halves in for in minute and remove

In a large skillet or saucepan, saute your meat until brown remove from skillet and set aside. In same pan, saute your onions, zucchini and garlic until translucent and then add your ground turkey and Italian sausage

Place a half cup of sauce in the bottom of a baking dish and place zucchini halves on top. Fill the hollowed out zucchini with the cooked turkey zucchini mixture

Once you top the zucchini halves with marinara sauce and a generous sprinkle of Mozzarella Cheese...

It will evolve to something so delicious you will think you are eating a great pizza:-) I promise you will love this! It is a filling and delicious low carb meal, but if you aren't concerned with carbs, garlic bread would be amazing with these zucchini boats.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup Marinara Sauce

4-5 medium zuchinni

1/2 small onion finely chopped

3 cloves garlic minced

1/2 cup diced bell pepper 

1/2 package turkey Italian sausage

1/2 package ground turkey

1 cup shredded low fat mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 400

Slice zucchini in half and scoop out the flesh. Bring a pot of water to a boil and drop the halves in for in minute.  Put the halves aside.

Chop the scooped out zuchinni, onion, garlic  and bell pepper and put aside.

Place sauce in the bottom of a baking pan and place zucchini halves in pan.

In a large skillet or saucepan, brown the meat and remove. In same pan, saute the zucchini, onion, garlic and bell pepper. Add the browned meat to the mixture and cook for another minute or two. Fill each hollowed out zucchini with the turkey zucchini mixture and top with approximately two tablespoons marinara sauce. Top each zucchini with a tablespoon of parmesan cheese and a couple of tablespoons of Mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. 

This is a great way to trick the kids into loving vegetables

Bon Appetit!