Zucchini Boats

I used to make zucchini boats frequently when the kids were little. They liked the name and usually gobbled them up - zucchini and all! I still make them, though I've changed the filling up a bit over the years. Here's my latest version. 

Ingredients: 

1 tsp olive oil

1/2 tsp minced garlic

1 spring onion, sliced (or use a green onion)

1 stalk celery, sliced

1 turkey burger or 1/4 pound ground turkey or chicken

2 Tbs chopped sun dried tomatoes

2 tsp tomato powder mixed with 1/2 cup water (or use 1/4 cup tomato paste and 1/4 cup water)

1/2 tsp basil

1/2 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp parsley

1/2 C cooked brown rice or quinoa

1/4 C shredded Parmesan cheese (or cheese substitute)

1/4 C cream cheese or non-dairy cream cheese

2    8" long zucchini

Directions: 

Preheat the oven to 400F. Add the olive oil to a nonstick skillet placed over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, and celery to the skillet. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the onion softens. Add the turkey burger, breaking it into small pieces, and cook until the turkey is no longer pink. Add the sundried tomatoes along with the tomato powder and water, and the spices and cook another minute or two. Add the rice and cook until the rice begins to warm. Stir in the Parmesan cheese. Taste, adding salt and pepper if necessary. Prepare the zucchini while the stuffing is cooking. Slice each zucchini in half, lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds in the center and discard. When the stuffing is cooked, scoop about 1/4 of the stuffing into each of the zucchini halves. Top each with a dollop or two of cream cheese. Place the zucchini boats on a baking sheet and bake for about 25 minutes, until the zucchini pierces easily with a fork. Serve!

Serves 2 as a main course, or 4 as a side dish

Stealthy Cooking Tip: Naming your dishes with a fun name can make all the difference to little ones. Remember "ants on a log" as a way to get the kids to eat celery, and taste testing different homemade salsas to get kids (even grown up kids) to eat mixtures rich in tomatoes and fruits. This "boat" is no different!