Italian Sausage-Stuffed Zucchini

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 35 min. Bake: 20 min.
MAKES: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 6 medium zucchini (about 8 ounces each)
• 1 pound Italian turkey sausage links, casings removed
• 2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1 cup panko (Japanese) bread crumbs
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano or 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 3/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Cut each zucchini lengthwise in half. Scoop out pulp, leaving a 1/4-in. shell; chop pulp. Place zucchini shells in a large microwave-safe dish. In batches, microwave, covered, on high 2-3 minutes or until crisp-tender.
2. In a large skillet, cook sausage and zucchini pulp over medium heat 6-8 minutes or until sausage is no longer pink, breaking sausage into crumbles; drain. Stir in tomatoes, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, herbs and pepper. Spoon into zucchini shells.
3. Place in two ungreased 13x9-in. baking dishes. Bake, covered, 15-20 minutes or until zucchini is tender. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake, uncovered, 5-8 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutritional Facts
2 stuffed zucchini halves: 206 calories, 9g fat (3g saturated fat), 39mg cholesterol, 485mg sodium, 16g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 3g fiber), 17g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 lean meat, 2 vegetable, 1/2 starch.