Zucchini Boats

A super easy and healthy dinner alternative to pasta, I absolutely love these. If you're a zucchini lover, then you definitely need to put this recipe on your "to make" list or Pinterest board.

I realize that I've started posting quite a few Italian-Veggie dishes... like my Eggplant Parmesan (and there's another one on the horizon). What can I say? I'm trying to cut down on the pasta and up my vegetable intake. What better way to do that than make a few substitutions?

Ingredients:

- 3 to 6 medium sized zucchini, halved and hollowed (see picture)
- 2 to 3 C ground beef or turkey (you can also use a meat substitute or sausage of any kind!)
- your favorite marinara sauce (about half of a typical jar for 3-4 zucchini, the whole jar for 5-6)
- 1/2 white onion, finely chopped (optional)
- Mozzarella Cheese (to top)
- Parmesan Cheese (to top)

Directions:

- Preheat your oven to 400. Prepare a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray.
- In a large skillet, combine your onion and ground meat/sausage of your choice. Cook over medium-high heat until your meat is cooked and your onion is soft.
You don't have to use onion if you don't want it!
- Mix your marinara sauce into your meat mixture and let sit (covered over medium-low heat) for ten to twenty minutes, if possible.
- If you haven't already, cut your zucchini in half length-wise and hollow them out making "boats". However many zucchini you use, you will have twice the number of boats (i.e. if you use 3 zucchini, you come out with six boats).
- Spoon meat mixture into your zucchini boats and top it with mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
- Bake for ten to fifteen minutes (until cheese is melted/golden brown).
See first picture!

The idea for this recipe comes from Dashing Dish.