Who doesn’t love healthy Italian alternatives? Check out this simple but filling meal.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of your favorite tomato sauce
• 4 medium zucchini
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1/2 small onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1 pound of mild Italian fresh sausage bulk
• 1/2 cup part skim shredded mozzarella
• Grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Drop zucchini halves in boiling water and cook 1 minute. Remove from water.
2. Preheat oven to 400°. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise and using a spoon, scoop out flesh, leaving 1/4″ thick.
3. In a large sauté pan, brown sausage, breaking up as it cooks into smaller pieces until browned. Heat oil and add onion, garlic and bell pepper. Cook on a medium heat for about 3 minutes. Combine with sausage and cook a few more minutes.
4. Using a spoon, fill each zucchini with 1/3 cup cooked sausage, pressing firmly. Top each with 2 tablespoons each of sauce, 1 tablespoon each of shredded mozzarella cheese and sprinkle grated parmesan cheese on top of them all.
5. Cover with foil and bake 35 minutes until cheese is melted and zucchini is cooked through.

Enjoy!