Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 1 pound 85% lean ground beef
  • 1/2 white onion (, diced)
  • 2 cloves garlic (, )
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoons garlic salt
  • 1 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoons pepper
  • 2 cups tomato juice
  • 1/4 cup yellow corn meal
  • 3 medium zucchini
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (, or mix with Monterey Jack)
  • Your favorite taco toppings like chopped tomato, diced onion, olives, sour cream, and avocado.

Instruction

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  • Add the ground beef to a large skillet over medium high heat and cook until browned, about 10 minutes, breaking into small pieces as it browns. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until the onion is translucent.
  • Add the cumin, chili powder, garlic salt, kosher salt, and black pepper and cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring often. 

Stir in the tomato juice and cornmeal and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the juice has cooked down and the cornmeal softens, stirring occasionally. Add more tomato juice or water if the mixture clumps. Remove the taco meat from the heat, cover, and keep warm.
  • Trim the ends of the zucchini and slice in half lengthwise. Use a small metal spoon to scrape out the seeds and hollow out the zucchini. Chop the pulp and add to the taco meat mixture as it cooks, or discard.
  • Spray a baking sheet or casserole dish with baking spray and add the zucchini, cut side up. Lightly sprinkle the insides with kosher salt. Bake the zucchini for 10-15 minutes or until they begin to soften. Remove from the oven.
  • Gently mix 1 cup of the shredded cheese into the taco mixture. Spoon the taco meat into the zucchini boats, evenly filling and mounding each zucchini half. Cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the zucchini is fork tender. Remove the foil, then top the zucchini boats with the remaining shredded cheese. Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the zucchini is tender. Garnish with taco toppings and serve.