70 DI A BETIC LI V ING / SPR ING 2019
Zucchini Parmesan
ACTIVE: 30 min. TOTAL: 1 hr.
23g CARB
Nothing goes to waste in this twist on eggplant
Parmesan, as the scooped-out zucchini flesh
gets mixed into the meat sauce.
3 tsp. olive oil, divided
1 small onion, diced (½ cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
¼ tsp. honey
¼ tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground pepper
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil or
2 tsp. dried
6 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise
1 pound 90%-lean ground beef
1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
6 Tbsp. shredded part-skim
mozzarella cheese
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large
rimmed baking sheet with foil or parch-
ment paper and coat with cooking spray.
- Heat 2 tsp. oil in a large saucepan over
medium-high heat. Add onion; cook, stirring
often, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add
garlic; cook, stirring, for 30 seconds more.
Add tomatoes, honey, salt, and pepper. If us-
ing dried basil, add it now. Bring to a simmer.
Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook,
uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 20 min-
utes. If using fresh basil, add it now.
- Meanwhile, score the cut sides of each zuc-
chini half in a crisscross pattern, taking care
not to cut through the skin. Place the halves,
cut-side down, on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Heat the remaining 1 tsp. oil in a medium
skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef
and Italian seasoning. Cook, breaking up the
beef, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
Add the beef to the sauce mixture.
- When the zucchini are cool enough to han-
dle, carefully scoop out the center of each
half with a spoon, leaving about ½ inch of
flesh attached to the skin. Chop the scooped-
out zucchini and add it to the sauce mixture.
Place the zucchini halves, cut-side up, on the
baking sheet.
- Stuff about 1/3 cup of the sauce mixture into
each zucchini half. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp. Parme-
san and 1½ tsp. mozzarella on each zucchini
half. Return the zucchini to the oven and bake
until heated through and golden brown, about
20 minutes.
SERVES 6: 2 stuffed zucchini halves each
CAL 318, CARB 23g (fiber 5g, sugars 13g), FAT 15g (sat.
fat 6g), PROTEIN 26g, CHOL 62mg, SODIUM 645mg,
POTASSIUM 1,495mg.
Use long, straight
zucchini for this
dish, which are
easier to hollow
out for stuffing.
