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Easy, healthy, and extra delicious Italian stuffed zucchini boats! This low-carb meal comes together in under 30 minutes, with only 5 (!!!) ingredients. The ultimate lazy, yet super healthy dinner recipe.

overhead image of zucchini boats on a plate with white wine on the side.

What You’ll Need to Make Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Zucchini – This summer vegetable is super cheap and easy to find! Start by slicing a zucchini in half, then removing the seeds and some of the flesh from inside. You’ll be left with two zucchini “boats,” ready to be filled with our delicious Italian sausage in sauce.

Italian Sausage – Feel free to use whatever kind of Italian sausage you’d like! Though make sure it’s uncooked and removed from its casings before cooking. As it cooks, break the sausage up with a wooden spoon until no longer pink. Italian sausage is packed with herbs and spices, adding even more flavor to this already super flavorful dish.

Marinara Sauce – I use and love Rao’s marinara sauce for when I don’t feel like making it myself. Rao’s is perfectly tangy, has tons of flavor, with just a hint of sweetness. However, you can totally use your favorite jarred marinara sauce for this recipe. Or, if you have some time to spare, go ahead and throw together a homemade sauce to use instead.

Dried Italian Seasoning – The final step before cooking these zucchini boats is sprinkling them with a little bit of dried Italian seasoning. I love the flavor this packs, but it’s totally optional if you’re not feeling up to it or don’t have any on-hand.

overhead image of zucchini boats in a baking dish.

Tips and Tricks

  • Finish off these Italian stuffed zucchini boats with fresh-grated parmesan cheese! It rounds out the Italian flavors in this dish, and make it that much more delicious. Also, who doesn’t love a little bit of cheese?!
  • You can easily prep-then-freeze this dish ahead of time! To do this, follow each step of the recipe, up to cooking it. Then, cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and aluminum foil, before freezing for up to three months. When ready to eat, simply defrost, then bake as instructed.
  • This is a great, healthy meal to prep for a crowd! Simply double or triple the amounts listed in the recipe below, and you can feed a whole army (ok …maybe not an entire army, but you get the point). I love throwing this quick and easy zucchini recipe together for friends and family, it’s a total crowd-favorite!
close-up image of zucchini boat being cut into with a fork.

Adjust This Recipe to Your Dietary Needs

Make it Gluten-Free: These zucchini boats are already gluten-free! However, to be absolutely certain they don’t contain any traces of gluten, check your sausage and marinara sauce packaging to make sure those ingredient are entirely gluten-free.

Make it Dairy-Free: For a dairy-free version of this recipe, replace the parmesan cheese with nutritional yeast!

Make it Vegan: Replace the sausage with your favorite vegan meat substitute, and cook it with an additional teaspoon of dried Italian seasoning. Then, similar to the dairy-free version, top with nutritional yeast instead of parmesan cheese.

Italian Stuffed Zucchini Boats

0 from 0 votes
Recipe by Samantha Course: MainCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

25

minutes
Total time

30

minutes

Easy, healthy, and extra delicious Italian stuffed zucchini boats! This low-carb meal comes together in under 30 minutes, with only 5 (!!!) ingredients. The ultimate lazy, yet super healthy dinner recipe.

Ingredients

  • 2 large zucchini, cut in half lengthwise

  • salt and black pepper, to taste

  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil

  • 1 pound sweet or spicy Italian sausage (casings removed)

  • 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, optional

  • grated parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 400° Fahrenheit.
  • Using a spoon, scoop out and remove the seeds and a little bit of the flesh from each zucchini half.
  • Sprinkle zucchini with salt and black pepper, then place inside a large baking dish and set aside.
  • Heat avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then add in the Italian sausage and cook until no longer pink. Break up the meat as it cooks, should take about 5 minutes.
  • Add marinara sauce to the skillet, reduce heat to low and simmer sausage in sauce for 2-3 minutes.
  • Spoon the sauce mixture into the cavity of each zucchini half, then evenly sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and zucchini is tender. Serve warm with parmesan cheese and fresh basil.

Recipe Video

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How to make pickles in a matter of minutes! This quick, homemade pickle brine is loaded with flavor, and made to preserve freshness. These pickles are perfectly salty, and extra crunchy!

three jars of pickles line up on a table.

What You’ll Need

Cucumbers – Either pickling cucumbers, Persian cucumbers, or an English cucumber will work! For pickling or Persian cucumbers, I recommend cutting them into spears before pickling. Though for an English cucumber, those are better sliced into 1/4-inch rounds. I use and recommend pickling cucumbers because they maintain their shape and satisfying crunch, even after pickled. However, Persian or an English cucumber still taste just as delicious using this method!

Fresh Dill – You simply can’t make pickles without fresh dill! A few sprigs of this herb help to lock in freshness and pack in tons of delicious flavor.

Garlic – Three whole cloves of garlic truly take this recipe to the next level! The pickling liquid aids in mellowing out that tangy garlic flavor, leaving you with the best essence of garlic throughout your pickles. And if you’re like me (a garlic LOVER), feel free to throw in a few extra cloves!

overhead image of pickles with garlic and fresh dill.

Vinegar – Vinegar plus water is the base of any pickling liquid. I’ve tried this recipe with pretty much every type of vinegar out there. Apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, white vinegar, rice wine vinegar – you name it, I’ve tried it! And while they all taste delicious, apple cider and white wine vinegars are my personal favorites. Though use whichever you have on-hand and/or whichever you prefer.

Salt – For extra salty pickles, add two whole teaspoons of salt to your brine. Or, for a more mild pickle, add just one teaspoon of salt. I like ultra-savory pickles – you know, the ones that make your mouth water just thinking about them – so two teaspoons did the trick for me!

Yellow Mustard Seed – While optional, a pinch of whole yellow mustard seeds add a hint of spice. A few seeds go a long way, packing in tons of flavor!

a pickle being lifted out of a jar of pickles.

Tips and Tricks on How to Make Pickles

  • Clean/rinse out your mason jars well before adding in your pickles. A clean glass jar will reduce the risk of any unwanted bacteria growing while your pickles, well… pickle. The best way to achieve an extra-clean mason jar is by rinsing it out with boiling hot water – this’ll kill most, if not all bacteria!
  • Homemade pickles will last up to three month in the fridge! And remember, the longer these pickles sit in their brine, the tastier they’ll be. But if you live in my house, you’ll know these don’t last more than ONE WEEK.
  • Feel free to switch up the ingredients in this recipe however you’d like! For spicy pickles, add in a pinch of red pepper flakes. Or, for sweet pickles, sprinkle in a teaspoon of sugar.

*These homemade pickles are gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and paleo!

How to Make Pickles

5 from 1 vote
Recipe by Samantha Course: Snacks, SidesDifficulty: Easy
Servings

10

servings
Prep time

3

minutes
Cooking time

2

minutes
Total time

7

minutes

How to make pickles in a matter of minutes! This quick, homemade pickle brine is loaded with flavor, and made to preserve freshness. These pickles are perfectly salty, and extra crunchy!

Ingredients

  • 3-4 small pickling cucumbers, cut into spears (or 1 English cucumbers, cut into 1/4-inch rounds)

  • 4-5 sprigs fresh dill

  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

  • 1 cup water

  • 1 cup vinegar, such as white vinegar or apple cider vinegar

  • 1-2 teaspoons salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon whole yellow mustard seeds

Directions

  • Place cut cucumber, fresh dill, garlic cloves, and whole yellow mustard seed into one large glass jar, or separate into 2 smaller glass jars.
  • Heat water, vinegar, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat until salt has dissolved completely.
  • Pour water mixture into jar(s) until cucumbers are completely covered. Secure jar with lid, then refrigerate for at least 24 hours before eating.

Recipe Video

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Cool and refreshing Asian cucumber salad! Full of flavor, and easy to throw together in a few simple steps. The perfect side dish or healthy lunch recipe.

overhead image of asian cucumber salad on a plate with a spoon

What You’ll Need To Make Asian Cucumber Salad

Mini Cucumbers – Six mini seedless cucumbers are the star of this recipe. I cut mine into fun little spirals for my salad, but you can simply slice them instead. If slicing, I recommend a mandolin to help slice the cucumbers as thin as possible.

Fresh Ginger – Fresh ginger goes a long way in this Asian cucumber salad! Start by cutting about a 1-inch piece from a knob of whole ginger. Then, peel your ginger with either a spoon or a vegetable peeler. Once peeled, run the ginger along a microplane or the fine side of a box grater.

Rice Vinegar – For a hint of acidity, rice vinegar tastes best. However, if you don’t have any, feel free to use white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar in its place.

Sriracha – While optional, I recommend a tiny drop of sriracha to round out the flavors in this recipe. For a mild version, start with just 1/2 teaspoon. Or, for a spicy Asian cucumber salad, add upwards of 1-2 teaspoons.

close-up image of asian cucumber salad on a plate

How to Cut Cucumbers

  1. Cut 1/4-inch of each end of a mini cucumber.
  2. Place two chopsticks on either side of the cucumber.
  3. Then, make thin (about 1/8-inch) diagonal cuts along the cucumber, stopping when your knife hits the chopsticks.
  4. Flip cucumber over and make the same exact cuts, in the same direction, on the other side.
  5. Lastly, cut each the cucumber in half, then add them to a bowl for this recipe!

Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

Make it Gluten-Free: For a 100% gluten-free Asian cucumber salad, use tamari in place of the soy sauce. Tamari tastes just like soy sauce, but unlike soy sauce, is certified gluten-free!

Make it Vegan: Use maple syrup in place of the honey for a completely vegan side dish.

Asian Cucumber Salad

3 from 42 votes
Recipe by Samantha Course: SidesCuisine: AsianDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

0

minutes
Total time

5

minutes

Cool and refreshing Asian cucumber salad! Full of flavor, and easy to throw together in a few simple steps. The perfect side dish or healthy lunch recipe.

Ingredients

  • 6 mini cucumbers, spiralized (see Notes) or thinly sliced

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated

  • 1 garlic clove, peeled and grated

  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup

  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce

  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil

  • 1 teaspoon sriracha, optional

  • 3 scallions, thinly sliced

  • pinch of sesame seeds

Directions

  • Place cucumber in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt, then let sit for 10-15 minutes while you make the dressing.
  • Whisk together the ginger, garlic, rice vinegar, honey, soy sauce, maple syrup, and sriracha in a small bowl.
  • Check on the cucumbers, and drain the water that’s gathered at the bottom of the bowl.
  • Add dressing, scallions, and sesame seeds to the cucumbers and toss to coat. Either serve immediately or let marinate in the fridge for a few hours.

Notes

  • How to Cut “Spiralized” Cucumber: Cut off each end of a cucumber, then place two chopsticks on either long side of the cucumber. Then, make thin diagonal cuts along the cucumber, stopping when your knife hits the chopsticks. Flip cucumber over and make the same cuts on the other side. Last, slice each cucumber in half, now they’re ready for this recipe!

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Quick, easy, and insanely delicious 20-minute mongolian chicken! Inspired by the flavors in your favorite dish from your local Chinese restaurant – comes together in less time than it’d take you to order takeout.

overhead image of mongolian chicken on a plate over cauliflower rice

What You’ll Need To Make Mongolian Chicken

Chicken Breast – Thinly slice two large, boneless and skinless chicken breasts against the grain. Once sliced, it’s ready to use in this recipe! And for extra crispy chicken pieces, we start by coating them in corn starch before cooking. However, if you don’t have any corn starch, you can use arrowroot starch or tapioca starch in its place. Or, you can skip this step altogether!

Scallions – Slice three whole scallions (white and green part) however large or small you’d like. I typically slice mine in 2-inch pieces, since I love biting into large pieces of sautéed scallions in my mongolian chicken.

Ginger – If using fresh, whole ginger, slice off a 1-inch knob of ginger and remove the skin. Then, run your piece of ginger along a microplane grater until its finely grated. Or, to save time, I recommend buying a jar of minced ginger, and using that in this recipe instead!

Soy Sauce – Soy sauce is the classic addition to this Chinese-inspired recipe. However, if gluten-free, use tamari in place of the soy sauce. Or, for a slightly healthier version, use reduced sodium soy sauce instead!

close-up image of mongolian chicken in a skillet

Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

Make it Paleo: Turn this into an easy paleo dinner recipe by replacing the corn starch with tapioca starch, and using coconut aminos in place of the soy sauce. Then, serve your cooked chicken over cauliflower rice – yum.

Make it Gluten-Free: For gluten-free mongolian chicken, make sure the corn starch you use is entirely gluten-free, and replace the soy sauce with an equal amount of tamari. Tamari is the gluten-free equivalent to soy sauce, and tastes exactly the same!

overhead image of mongolian chicken in a skillet.

Interested In More Chicken Recipes? Try These!

20-Minute Mongolian Chicken

0 from 0 votes
Recipe by Samantha Course: MainCuisine: ChineseDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

15

minutes
Total time

20

minutes

Quick, easy, and insanely delicious 20-minute mongolian chicken! Inspired by the flavors in your favorite dish from your local Chinese restaurant – comes together in less time than it’d take you to order takeout.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast, thinly sliced

  • salt, to taste

  • 1/4 cup corn starch, or arrowroot starch

  • 3 tablespoons avocado oil

  • 3 scallions, sliced

  • 2 garlic cloves, minced

  • 1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated

  • 1 tablespoon corn starch

  • 1/2 cup vegetable broth

  • 1/4 cup soy sauce, or tamari if gluten-free

Directions

  • Season chicken breast with salt, then toss in corn starch to coat.
  • Heat avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, once hot add in the chicken – cook until golden brown and cooked through. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
  • Lower heat to medium and add in the garlic, ginger, and scallions. Cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
  • Whisk the corn starch into the vegetable broth, then pour into the skillet along with the soy sauce. Reduce heat to low and simmer until sauce has thickened.
  • Once thick, add chicken back into the skillet and toss in sauce, then serve.

Recipe Video

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Fresh, creamy, and irresistibly delicious pineapple ice cream! Made with just two ingredients, and in under 5 minutes. This non-dairy frozen dessert is the BEST healthy summertime treat.

hand holding a cone of pineapple ice cream

What You’ll Need To Make Pineapple Ice Cream

Frozen Pineapple Chunks – Either cut, then freeze a fresh pineapple yourself, or buy already frozen pineapple chunks. For tips on how to cut a pineapple, check out my step-by-step blog post here. But if you’re looking to save some time, buy two bags of frozen pineapple chunks from the frozen aisle at your local grocery store.

Coconut Milk – Thick and creamy full-fat coconut milk tastes best in this pineapple ice cream! However, you can certainly use a light coconut milk instead, or really any kind of milk you’d like. And if you don’t have milk, use a couple tablespoons of water. The liquid is introduced at the very end of this recipe and should be used sparingly, just until you achieve a thick and creamy consistency.

Food Processor or High-Speed Blender – While food processors work best to make this non-dairy frozen dessert, a high-speed blender will work as well. I made my pineapple ice cream with this (super cheap!) Hamilton Beach food processor. But I’ve also tried this recipe in my Vitamix, and it worked as well – just required more stopping to scrape down the sides of the blender.

overhead image of pineapple ice cream in a loaf pan

Tips and Tricks

  • Start with 1/4 cup of coconut milk, then slowly add in more to blend. The frozen pineapple mixture will start out icy and crumbly, but slowly turn smooth and creamy as more liquid is introduced. It’s important to start small here, as to not risk “watering down” your ice cream!
  • Swirl in some toasted coconut or fresh pineapple chunks! Right after blending, transfer the pineapple ice cream to an airtight container and stir in any mix-ins you’d like. Or, serve this healthy dessert with your favorite ice cream toppings!
  • Depending on how solid you’d like your ice cream, either serve it right away or freeze for a few hours before eating. How solid it is may also depend on how warm it is outside. During the summer months, I certainly have to freeze this for at least an hour before scooping and serving!

This Pineapple Ice Cream Is…

2-Ingredient Pineapple Ice Cream

2 from 3 votes
Recipe by Samantha Course: Dessert, SnacksDifficulty: Easy
Servings

6

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

0

minutes
Total time

5

minutes

Fresh, creamy, and irresistibly delicious pineapple ice cream! Made with just two ingredients, and in under 5 minutes. This pineapple ice cream is the BEST healthy summertime treat.

Ingredients

  • 4-5 cups frozen pineapple chunks, about 2 10-ounce bags

  • 1/4-1/2 cup coconut milk

Directions

  • Add frozen pineapple chunks to food processor and pulse until crumbly.
  • Slowly add in coconut milk, starting with ¼ cup and adding more as necessary, and pulse until smooth.
  • Either serve immediately, or transfer pineapple ice cream to a parchment-lined loaf pan and freeze for 2-3 hours.
  • To serve, remove from freezer and let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before scooping and enjoying.

Recipe Video

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