Meat, Tomato, and Mozzarella Stuffed Zucchini Cups

Ingredients

• 2 large zucchini or yellow squash, about 12 inches long
• 2 tsp. + 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 green pepper, finely chopped
• 2 T finely minced fresh garlic
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 12 oz. ground turkey, turkey Italian sausage, or pork Italian sausage. Use any combination of ground meat you'd like, but use low-fat ground meat for the South Beach Diet and full-fat for low-carb or Keto.
• 1-2 tsp. Spike seasoning, optional but recommended
• 2 C flavorful tomato-basil pasta sauce, with low sugar
• 2 cups mozzarella or other mild white cheese

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F/175C. Chop the onion and green pepper.
2. Warm 2 tsp. olive oil in a non-stick pan, then cook the onion and pepper for 3-4 minutes, just until they begin to soften. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute longer, watching so the garlic does not brown. Transfer the onion, pepper, and garlic to a bowl.
3. Pour another 2 tsp. olive oil into the pan. Add the ground beef and ground turkey or ground sausage, breaking the meat apart as it goes in. Sprinkle with Spike seasoning, then cook over medium heat until the meat is nicely browned.
4. Tip the pan slightly to check for excess fat, and spoon it off if you’d like. Add the cooked vegetables and garlic back to the meat.
5. Stir in the tomato sauce and let the mixture simmer until it thickens and the extra liquid cooks away, about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat.
6. While the meat mixture cools, trim off and discard the ends of the zucchini, then cut the zucchini into 2 inch thick rounds.
7. Using a sharp spoon or melon baller, scoop a hollow into each zucchini piece to make a cup, leaving just over 1/4 inch of zucchini flesh intact. Don’t scrape too close to the peel, or the cups can release liquid as they bake.
8. Coat a baking sheet with nonstick spray. Arrange the zucchini cups upright with the hollowed side facing up.
9. Mix 1 1/2 cups grated cheese into the meat mixture once it has cooled a bit; it does not have to be fully cool. Spoon the filling into the zucchini cups, pressing it in with the spoon and letting it mound slightly above the top.
10. Bake the zucchini cups for 20 minutes. Take them out of the oven and sprinkle the remaining cheese over each one with a generous pinch.
11. Return the pan to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes more, until the zucchini gives slightly when poked with a fork and the cheese is melted with a little browning. Serve hot.