Fall is in full swing over here in the midwest, and that has me craving all types of warm, yummy comfort foods.  I absolutely love lasagna, but not necessarily all of the carbs and cheese that usually comes along with it.  So these Italian Stuffed Zucchini Boats are an easy and healthy alternative.  They totally satisfy my craving for pasta! Give them a try and let me know what you think.

Ingredients:

-6 medium to large zucchini (don’t get the small ones as you’ll be needing room to stuff them)

-1 lbs extra lean ground turkey

-1 jar of your favorite organic spaghetti sauce (I usually opt for a marinara)

-1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

-5-7 fresh basil leaves

-Coconut oil spray

-Salt and pepper

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees

-Wash the zucchini and cut them in half length wise.  Then, carve out the middle to remove all the seeds. Next, spray both sides of the zucchini with a light coat of coconut oil spray and place in a 9×13 dish.  (Depending on the size of your zucchini, you may end up needing two dishes to accommodate all of it).  Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes or until zucchini are tender.

-While zucchini are baking, prepare the meat and sauce.  Cook the ground turkey over medium heat.  Once the meat is cooked thoroughly, pour in sauce and simmer on low heat until zucchini is done baking.

-Stuff the zucchini boats with the meat and sauce!  Season with salt and pepper. 

-Sprinkle the boats with mozzarella cheese and return to oven for approximately 5 minutes (or until cheese has melted). Top with chopped basil.

Enjoy!