Prepared as follows, this dish is packed with enough vegetables and protein to constitute a full healthy meal that serves two.
Ingredients
2 large zucchini (about 12", close to an eggplant size)
8 oz Italian turkey sausage (we used 2 light spicy links)
¼ C diced red onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium tomato (about ½ C diced)
1½ T chopped fresh basil
⅔ C Italian cheese blend
1 T Italian style bread crumbs
kosher salt
black pepper
extra virgin olive oil (we used two ½ T measurements)
Instructions
Slice zucchini in half length wise, leaving the tops on.
Scoop out the centers, saving them in a bowl. Leave at least ¼ inch around the edges and bottoms. Take the good parts of the zucchini guts you just scooped out and dice up ½ cup. This will go in your filling.
Drizzle the zucchini shells with a ½ Tbsp. of olive oil and use your hands to rub it on all sides. Sprinkle with some kosher salt and black pepper and set aside.
Preheat your grill outside and then start your filling in a skillet on the stovetop. Start by browning the sausage. When you no longer see pink, add the onions, garlic, and diced zucchini. Cook for 2-3 minutes until onion is tender. Add tomato and basil, ¼ t kosher salt and a few cracks of black pepper. Remove pan from heat and set aside.
Place zucchini on the grill, hollow-side down, and grill for about 5 minutes on medium heat. They should have nice charred marks and look tender on the inside.
Return zucchini to the kitchen. Add cheese and bread crumbs to filling mixture. Stir to combine and then divide the filling between the zucchini. Top each zucchini with about 1Tbsp. of cheese and sprinkle with ¼-1/2 tsp. of bread crumbs. Drizzle with the remaining ½ Tbsp. of olive oil.
Place zucchini back on the grill (filling side up), close grill lid, and cook for another 5-7 minutes. Larger/thicker zucchini will obviously take longer to cook.