Recipe: Stuffed Zucchini Boats!

Hey y'all! I made these a while back and just now realized that I didnt share the recipe here, so ENJOY! You can always do variations, which you know I do, but this is the basic concept. My sister and I came up with this on the fly as a low carb version of stuffed shells (yes, the rest of our family enjoys their carby version right in front of us! **Insert Stephanie Tanner's - HOW RUDE!**)

Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Total Time: 40-60 min.
Prep Time: 15 min.
Cooking Time: 25-40 min.
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

2 medium zucchini
1 large egg

1 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 tbsp freshly chopped basil

Sea salt (or Himalayan salt) and ground black pepper (to taste; optional)
1 cup shredded mozzarella

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375º F.
2. Wash and prepare zucchini by cutting off the stem end. Then.cut zucchini lengthwise so that you have 4 long "boats."
3. With a large spoon, scoop out the seeds of the zucchini and discard or save for a future recipe.
4. In a large bowl, mix together ricotta, parmesan, basil, egg, salt, and pepper.
5. Fill zucchini boats with cheese mixture.
6. Top the zucchini boats with shredded mozzarella (about 1/4 each)
7. Place on cookie sheet/jelly roll pan and bake for 25-40 minutes. Boats are done when the zucchini boat is softened and can easily be poked with a fork. 

Enjoy!!

Gifts

Hi. everyone.

It's been a crazy week. It's been a crazy month. June was rough, too. I wrote previously about my grandfather being hospitalized and my feelings about that. It has been a struggle to say the least, at least emotionally, for me. My grandfather was walking into the hospital to have a heart stent replacement surgery and had a stroke on the spot. The only good thing I can say about the entire scenario, is that he was lucky to be in the hospital in the first place.

After a long hospital stay, he is not in a rehabilitation center and is preparing for open heart surgery, due to having "the widow maker." He has a nearly closed left heart valve. He still has a blood clot in his brain from the stroke. I went to see him a couple times while in the hospital and despite all of this crap, his discomfort, and all of the stress he is under. he greeted me and my rambunctious children with a smile, a hug and a scruffy kiss on the cheek and big hugs. His life is so great. Not his current circumstances, but his LIFE. His passion for life is extraordinary. Rather than trying to sleep, complaining about pain and shortness of breath, he entertained us all with his stories and his easy laugh - describing all of the sweets and Pennsylvania Dutch goodies that I can get from the farmer's market across the street from the rehab center.

Thank you, to the universe for sending this man into my life. This man (who is technically my step - grandfather) who gives of himself selflessly, over and over, until there is nothing left - and then he gives more. I only hope that as a human being. I can be more like him. I realized while sitting in his hospital room, what a gift he is; what a gift each of us can be to one another, if we only give of ourselves.

If you have been following my health and fitness journey, you know that I have now reach 63 pounds lost. I can now wear a medium t-shirt and panties, and large bottoms (my butt has grown and I LOVE it). You also know that this past month has seriously derailed my plans of hitting my goal weight by August. I have been dealing with some very real feelings of emptiness and hopelessness. I have been bingeing. I have been ignoring my own needs. I have been denying myself expressions of sorrow - largely surrounding my grandfather's major medical scare - which is truly ongoing. I am not in my darkest place today, but I am not at my brightest either. I feel less shiny these days and I know what will help. I need to get back on track. I have to.

Health and fitness are truly a matter of self care. I have to workout. I have to eat right. I have to stop punishing myself with food. I will get it together. I am starting AGAIN, today. It doesn't matter how many times you fall down - as long as you get back up again.

Today, I am standing up again and today I am choosing to smile (and mean it!).

Delaware Dash 4 Mile Trail Run!

Looking for a road race? Check out the Delaware Dash 4 Mile Trail Run! My dear friend, Katie, is getting a group of folks together to run this race that benefits the Slate Belt YMCA in Pen Argyl, PA. Come out, run around, support an awesome cause and do something GREAT for yourself. 

Free T-shirt included with registration! To register, print the form below (right click and download the image first), fill out the form and mail it in to the address listed with your race registration payment included. You can also register online at http://www.greatervalleyymca.org