This recipe was such a fun twist on the usual enchilada bake. Perfect if you are watching your carb intake, don’t have any yellow containers left for the day or are gluten free. Basili really enjoyed this one and he is usually a ‘bread’ guy. There are a lot of steps, but once everything is chopped up, it comes together pretty quickly.
I did have some leftovers of the Easy Enchilada Sauce in the refrigerator that I used, so I did not have to make any specifically for this meal tonight. That would be an additional step, however. I don’t buy the sauce in the can anymore because I just prefer to make my own so I know what is in there! It freezes well, so if you make a lot, just freeze it and use it for another meal later!
This recipe only calls for 8oz of meat. I went ahead and browned the whole 16 oz in the package and put the remainder in the fridge for a quick protein for tomorrow.
- 2 cups Enchilada Sauce - http://www.fitmomangelad.com/easy-enchilada-sauce/
- 4 medium zucchini
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup green onions, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup green bell pepper, diced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 8 oz cooked ground beef (or shredded chicken)
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 3 T low sodium chicken broth
- 1 T tomato paste
- 1/4 cup shredded Cheddar Jack cheese
- Sea salt & pepper, to taste
- 3/4 cup shredded Cheddar Jack cheese
- Chopped green onions and cilantro for garnish
- Bring large pot of water to a boil
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Cut each zucchini in half, lengthwise, and using a melon baller, scoop out the pulp leaving 1/4" thick. Chop the scooped out pulp of the zucchini and set aside.
- Drop zucchini halves in boiling water and blanch for 1 minute (this helps the zucchini cook faster in the oven); remove from water
- In large skillet, brown the ground beef and set aside
- Add oil to skillet and add onion, garlic and bell peppers - saute on medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes.
- Add chopped zucchini pulp & cilantro and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 4 minutes. Add seasonings, broth and tomato paste, mixing together for another 3 minutes. Add the ground beef and 1/4 cup shredded cheese., mix and cook a few more minutes.
- In an 11x14 baking dish, cover the bottom with 1/4 cup enchilada sauce and place zucchini halves cut side up.
- Fill zucchini halves with 1/3 cup of beef mixture, pressing firmly.
- Top each zucchini with 2T enchilada sauce and cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake 35 minutes until cheese is melted and zucchini is cooked through.
- Top with green onions and cilantro for garnish and serve with a dollop of Greek yogurt, if desired. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.
- Serving: 2 boats | 2 Green, 1/2 Red, 1 Blue, 1/4 purple (if you want to get technical!)