Zucchini boats

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One of my favorite things about summer is the fresh produce. I love walking into my own backyard and finding inspiration for cooking from the vegetables in my garden. And one of my  favorite vegetables is zucchini. It’s so versatile – it’s delicious baked, fried, steamed, or sauteéd, and it can be used a number of ways in dishes, from zoodles to zucchini bread.

Lately, my garden has been giving me zucchini the size of baseball bats, so I decided to use its size to my advantage and make the vegetable the star of my dish. Zucchini boats were the first recipe that came to mind. 

Zucchini boats are a favorite of mine because they can be used in any type of cuisine. The zucchini simply acts as the vehicle for whatever you would rather be eating. It’s a low-carb way to make a filling, nutritious, vegetable-packed meal.

Because I had marinara sauce sitting in my cupboard, I decided to go with an Italian spin for tonight’s dinner. Below is the recipe I created, but feel free to experiment with your favorite flavors and the ingredients you have in your cupboard. The oven temperature and cooking times should be relatively stable for just about any filling options. 

I hope you enjoy the recipe! Please feel free to leave me a comment about how the recipe turned out for you, or to share your favorite way to make zucchini boats.


Italian Zucchini Boats

Makes: 2 generous servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 zucchini (my zucchini are so big, I used half of one – like I said, they are the size of baseball bats)
  • 1 cup marinara sauce (for a low-FODMAP option, I used Rao’s Homemade Sensitive Marinara sauce – it’s so delicious, you will never miss the onion and garlic)
  • 8oz cooked chicken breast, chopped, or ground chicken (see Notes for how I baked my chicken breast)
  • 2/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
  • grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking dish with foil and spray with cooking spray.
  2. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds, leaving the ends intact to create small “boats” (this is to make sure the filling does not pour out the sides while baking).
  3. In a medium-sized bowl, combine cooked chicken, marinara sauce, and 1/3 cup mozzarella cheese. Fill the zucchini with the mixture. 
  4. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a fork inserts easily into the zucchini. 
  5. Sprinkle zucchini with remaining 1/3 cup mozzarella cheese. Bake for another two minutes, or until the cheese melts.
  6. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

Notes:

  • The best way I have found to cook moist, delicious chicken breasts is to place them in a baking dish coated in cooking spray and then cover them with parchment paper. Bake the chicken breasts at 400 degrees F for 40 minutes. It’s cooked perfectly every single time. For this recipe, I rubbed my chicken breasts with Italian seasoning before baking. 
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Caitlin’s Story

“Without Tyler Didra, I certainly would not be where I am today. Today, I am in charge of my own health, nutrition, and fitness goals. I first sought out Tyler after seeing advertisements for her on campus at Stevenson University. I was on the verge of an eating disorder and a heartbreaking tear from my family who at the time did not know how to properly encourage my weight loss goals. Having a myriad of health problems and physical immobility challenges, Tyler tailored each aspect of her services directly to me. Half-way throughout personal training season, I had ankle surgery and Tyler jumped at the chance to customize my exercise program to chair positions, sitting kick-boxing, and non-weight bearing drills.

“My biggest challenge before experiencing Tyler’s phenomenal training was fear of the gym and a general lack of education regarding both nutrition and physical fitness. I would have never stepped into a gym before Tyler encouraged me it wasn’t such a scary place after all. My body is completely different than it was three years ago; healthy, muscular, confident, and flexible. We started our journey together understanding food groups, different types of workouts, and how to live confidently. Over time she helped me graduate to yoga and today I am strong enough to challenge myself bi-weekly to Barre classes. She took an ankle that was unbearable to walk on and helped me strengthen it to this day where I can walk, run, and even do the most complex ankle yoga-poses.

“Tyler is a joy to her clients and each member of her Stevenson University fitness classes. From Yoga, to Pilates, and Women on Weights, she inspires young men and women to branch out and try something new to further challenge their minds and bodies. I give her my highest praise and openly endorse each and every one of her services from ZYTO scans, personal training, nutrition coaching, and group fitness classes. Because of her, I live an active and healthy lifestyle led by my own personal choices and goals.”

-Caitlin’s Testimonial, Winter 2019

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Arizona vacation: Day 8

My last morning in Arizona began the same as many others. I woke up early to beat the heat of the day. I went for a run with my dad, this time taking extra note to the beauty of the scenery: The red earth; the tall, desert cacti; the clear, blue sky without a cloud in sight. We finished our run at Starbucks, where we ordered lattes. When we returned to the house, we ate breakfast with Bev and Gus. I soaked in my last few moments with my family, studying their features and listening to their laughter. 

The time to leave came far too quickly. We hugged our loved ones goodbye, promising to visit again soon. Hopefully, there will not be another decade between now and our next visit. Jake, Mom, Dad, and I piled our luggage into the van and then climbed inside. We waved one last time to Bev and Gus, who were standing in the doorway of their home, and then we began the hour-long drive to the airport.

It was a quiet, somber trip. None of us were quite ready to leave. We had enjoyed the time spent with family in Arizona; we all wanted just one more day to fully appreciate how precious that time had been.

When we arrived at the airport, we returned our rental car and then took the shuttle to our terminal. We were running late, and I was getting nervous. I kept checking my watch as the minutes dwindled down. However, the airport was nearly empty once again. We made it through baggage claim and security in record time. There were even a few minutes to spare for a quick snack before we boarded our plane.

Today’s flight home was easier than the trip to Arizona had been. Instead of two flights with an unnecessarily long layover in between, we had one four-and-a-half-hour flight straight back to our destination. Instead of sleeping on this flight, I decided to finish my book, Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan. The book kept me at rapt attention, turning pages feverishly throughout, until I finally reached the last, eloquently written paragraph. 

While reading, I was treated to the cacophony of, not just one, but two crying babies. When one stopped, the other picked up her shift. On rare occasion, we were treated to a lovely duet. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for the parents as my fellow passengers grew restless in their seats. Luckily, it seemed that most people on the airplane had come prepared with headphones and earplugs, so there were no voiced complaints.

I had nearly reached the end of my book when the plane began to descend. I looked up from the words to glance out the airplane window at the perfect moment. Rippling water basking in the sunlight wound through tall, green trees that covered the land. Upon the water, a lonely boat cut through the waves in the direction of a distant bridge. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the sight. It was as if, in just a week of being away, I had forgotten how much I loved the trees and adored the greenery that surrounded me  at home. I had forgotten the summer days I am accustomed to, lying on a boat or on the shore of a beach with the hot sand between my toes, soaking up the sunshine.

Me hiking at Oregon Ridge Nature Center in Baltimore County

“Look at all that humidity,” the passenger behind me grunted.

Oh, yes, I can’t forget the humidity, too. We are back in Maryland, the state of muggy summers; brilliant thunderstorms; tasty blue crabs served with Old Bay; and bright, black-eyed Susans. We are back in the state where I grew up, where I feel a familiar sense of comfort no matter where I have been or how long I have been gone. We are home.

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