The trifecta: delicious, easy, repeatable. A great meal-prep option or weeknight dinner. Leave the cream and cheese out to make this dairy free, and swap out pork sausage for chicken if you prefer! This makes 2 zucchini/ 4 boats - about 2-3 servings.
Ingredients
1/2 tablespoon avocado oil
1/2 pound mild or spicy Italian sausage- meat removed from casing (about 2 sausage, or buy the ground sausage meat if you can find it)
1/4 cup diced sweet onion
3 cloves crushed garlic
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 cup no-sugar-added marinara (look for 6-7 net carbs per 1/2 cup serving)
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons red wine
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (I used Trader Joe's Italian Sofrito with sun dried tomato... it was heavenly)
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 cup grated whole milk mozzarella (grate it yourself to avoid the anti-caking starch added to pre-shredded cheese)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat avocado oil over medium heat and add ground sausage meat, breaking it up well.
After 3-4 minutes, add in onion and garlic (too soon and it'll burn, thats why we wait). Sauté until the sausage meat is cooked through, add tomato paste and cook an additional minute.
Add in your marinara, broth, wine and seasoning. Turn heat to medium low and simmer for 5-7 minutes until some of the liquid reduces (add more broth if needed, you want it to be thick but not too dry).
In the meantime, slice your zucchini in half and using a spoon, scoop out the seeds. Drizzle with avocado oil and sprinkle with salt, then place on a baking sheet.
Once the sauce has reduced down, turn off the heat and stir in the cream. Taste test and adjust the salt as needed. Scoop the sauce into your boats and top with the mozzarella.
Bake for 30-35 minutes- the cheese should be bubbly and the zucchini cooked but firm enough to hold it's shape. That's it! Enjoy just like that or with a side salad!
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