Zucchini Boat Enchiladas

I don’t know about you, but my go-to type of food is Mexican. I love all things Mexican food… the spices, the flavors, and of the course the tequila. The problem about Mexican food is that it isn’t always healthy. I don’t eat a whole lot of carbs, or I try not to, just because I don’t like how it makes my body feel, but I have a desire to have Mexican food at least once or twice a week.

Recently, I have trying to come up with a healthy Mexican food dish that wasn’t in the form of a salad…. sometimes salads just don’t hit “hit the spot” for me and full honesty here, I do NOT like to chop my own lettuce, and I realize that sounds a little bizarre (LMAO!). Anyways, when I am home, my dad and I almost always have Mexican food. He typically gets cheese enchiladas, it’s really his meal of choice, so I decided to do a spin on enchiladas that were healthy, but still tasty.

Enchilada Ingredients

1/2 lb of ground beef or ground turkey (I used ground turkey)

2 zucchini (medium size)

1 can of green chilies

1/4 cup of diced yellow onion

1 - 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheese (I used Mexican shredded cheese)

Siete Red Enchilada Sauce

1 tbs olive oil

1 tsp fresh garlic

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp chili flakes

1 tbs of your favorite taco seasoning

Instructions

1.    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2.    While the oven is warming up, put a large skillet on medium heat with the olive oil. After a couple minutes, add the green chilies, onion, and fresh garlic. Cook this for about 3-4 minutes until you see some color on the onions.

3.    Wash the zucchini and dry them. Cut off the ends then slice them in half long ways (make sure to be watching your skillet so that nothing burns). Spoon out the inside of the zucchini to prep your zucchini boat for the enchiladas. You are trying to spoon out the seeds only so that you can place the enchilada ingredients inside. Once this is finished, put the zucchini in your pan with the hollowed out part facing up, and set aside.

4.    Now come back to your skillet and add your meat of choice. Then add your spices to the meat, if you want it spicier, add more chili flakes. Cook the meat until it is done and has no more pink.

5.    Spoon the meat into the zucchini, almost over filling them. Pour your Siete Red Enchilada Sauce all over the zucchini and the pan. Top with the shredded cheese.

6.    Cover the enchiladas with tin foil, and bake covered at 350 for 20 minutes.

7.    When 20 minutes is up, remove the foil, and bake for another 5 minutes. You can also broil the enchiladas for a minute or two if you like your cheese a little more toasted.

8.    Top with sour cream and enjoy.

Options

There are so many options on this recipe. You can add cilantro, or switch to all veggie, or tofu depending on your dietary restrictions… like all of my recipes, take it and make it your own.

XO,

Enjoy!

Madison