Here's another way to use ground white meat chicken or lean ground beef, and you can have fun stuffing the zucchini by seasoning the meat any number of ways. As Chef Jacques Pepin always says... "Never be afraid to make a dish your own!" I like to go easy on the seasoning so the protein mostly speaks for itself. Plenty of flavor comes from the zucchini as well as the cheese so I don't see a reason to go heavy on spices. If you want to, though..... GO FOR IT! :-)
Ingredients:
- 2 zucchini
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb ground chicken or lean beef
- 1/2 yellow onion - diced
- 2 cloves garlic - smashed & minced
- 1 lge tomato - diced
- S&P to taste
- part skim mozzarella - cut in pieces that will cover meat
Remove stem end from zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds to create a zucchini boat. Brush with olive oil inside and out and bake skin side up, right on a cookie sheet or a raised rack, at 400 for about 8 minutes.
While that's going, fry up previously prepared meat, garlic, onion and tomato with the olive oil. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Have fun with other seasonings, too, if you like.
Below: Chicken or beef... your choice
Place cooked zucchini in a baking dish and fill each one with meat mix. If not all of it fits... you get to enjoy a little snack later. ;-)
Cover the meat with generous slabs of mozzarella. Return baking dish to the oven and broil low until cheese melts and displays a golden brown.
Serve with salad and maybe some quick cook barley blended with sauteed onions.
Blessed be... and happy cooking!