This version of my Mexican turkey zucchini canoes is one of many different “canoe” recipes. I like to play with the flavors and come up with all kinds of combinations. I have done Italian canoes, Greek Zucchini Canoes and a shrimp stuffed canoe too. All of them give me a fast and easy meal in the middle of the week when time is scarce but I need a healthy, well-rounded meal.
NOTE: I take lots of short cuts when making these and often use store bought spice mixes and pre-shredded cheese. If I have a pre-made taco or fajita spice blend in the cabinet, I’ll use that too. In a pinch, I’ve used marinara sauce and it worked out fine. This isn’t gourmet food; this is real food for the middle of the week when I need something healthy to eat.
FYI: for my WW friends, I’ve used 99% fat free turkey to keep the points at zero. I added the oil to give it moisture and flavor. You can easily make this dish using ground beef, 97% fat free turkey, etc. Again, this is more of a guideline that a recipe. Whatever you do, don’t throw out the middle of the zucchini that you scoop out. That is great chopped up and added to the mix. Another tip is to just crumble a few tortilla chips on top of these Mexican flavored zucchini boats to get some crunch. Serving chips on the side works too.
While I almost always use Fage fat free Greek yogurt in lieu of sour cream (I just find the taste a perfect swap for the full fat condiment.), feel free to use regular sour cream.
While I like to put these on a baking sheet to broil, if you put them in a small casserole dish so and pack them right to the edge, they won’t fall over (at least not until you serve them…LOL) A tipped canoe still tastes great!
Whether they are upright or on their side, these taste great and are good for you. Kids will love them and it is a great way to get them to eat their veggies.
To get started, cut your zucchini in half lengthwise. Then scoop out the flesh creating a deep indentation for the filling. You can add that scooped out zucchini flesh right to the turkey mixture. FYI: one of my favorite tools in the kitchen is a grapefruit spoon. You heard me right! A grapefruit spoon has all these little ridges which are great for jobs like this. (Perfect for removing pits from stone fruit too.)
Brush the cut zucchini halves with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet covered with foil. It will help with the cleanup.
Roast these in a 350 degree F. oven for about 10 minutes to soften slightly.
Add the tomato sauce and tomato paste and bring to a simmer. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed. (If it is too thick, add a tablespoon of water or two)
Remove the “canoes” from the oven and fill each zucchini half with a quarter of the meat mixture. Top each with equal amounts of the cheddar cheese and Queso fresco cheese. Place under the broil and broil until the cheese is melted and brown in spots. Serve topped with some yogurt, avocado and a sprinkling of green onion. Crumble some chips on top and/or serve on the side. Enjoy.
Do you like Mexican flavors as much as I do? If so, I have lots of easy Mexican inspired recipes that I use all the time. Try some of my favorites:
Elote Corn Ribs Recipe (Riblets)
Mexican Turkey Zucchini Canoes
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 Medium Zucchini cut in half horizontally and the insides scooped out and chopped
- ½ Lb. 99% fat free ground turkey
- ¼ Chopped onion
- 1 Garlic clove finely minced
- 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil + more for brushing cut zucchini
- ½ Cup Chopped Petite tomatoes
- 1 Tbsp. Tomato paste
- 2 Tbsp. Packaged Chili mix medium heat
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 2 Oz. Sharp Cheddar Cheese shredded
- ¼ Cup Crumbled Queso Fresco Cheese
- Fat Free Greek yogurt smashed avocado, chopped green onions & tortilla chips (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with tinfoil to make clean up easy.
- Prep your cut and hollowed out zucchini “canoes” by brushing them with a little olive oil and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Put them on the prepared baking sheet and roast in oven for 10 minutes to soften slightly.
- Meanwhile, add the tablespoon of olive oil to a large skillet and heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for one minute. Add the turkey meat, chopped zucchini and the chili seasoning and break up the meat with a wooden spoon. Cook stirring, until there is no pink meat showing.
- Add the tomato sauce and tomato paste and bring to a simmer. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed. (If it is too thick, add a tablespoon of water or two).
- Remove the “canoes” from the oven and fill each zucchini half with a quarter of the meat mixture. Top each with equal amounts of the cheddar cheese and Queso fresco cheese. Place under the broil and broil until the cheese is melted and brown in spots. Serve topped with some yogurt, avocado and a sprinkling of green onion. Crumble some chips on top and/or serve on the side. Enjoy.
