Thursday, August 4, 2016

Zucchini "Pasta" Salad


We eat a lot of zucchini in our house, especially during the summer. Most of the time it's sliced up, seasoned and grilled with an assortment of other vegetables. And of course, shredded and added into the occasional dessert. It's not a vegetable I've always been fond of, until I was well into my twenties, I had always assumed that squash was something I didn't like even though I'd never tried it.

My new favorite way to enjoy this seasonal veggie, is by making noodles out of it. We don't own any sort of spiralizer like gadget, but my serrated peeler works just fine. It makes the most perfect noodle shape out of many vegetables. Spaghetti squash is always welcomed on my plate, but I've been loving the ease of shredding one zucchini and tossing it with a bit of warm pasta sauce for an effortless and healthy meal. Let that heat up for a few minutes on the stove top and you've got yourself one heck of a meal. I promise you won't miss the real pasta and it's just as delicious! Seriously, just give it a try yet this season.


Taking that same enthusiasm, I decided to give these noodles a try with a salad. Pasta salads are always gracing the menu during summer barbecues, but if you're aiming to eat a bit healthier, lighter and watching those carbs like I am; then they can quickly pile up on the plate. 

In this I used some of our favorite veggies we had on hand, but I love the versatility. You can add just about anything. And I didn't even feel like I was eating a plate full of healthy veggies, it was just as good as any of my other picnic favorites. Even family members I fully expected to pass right along grabbed a small scoop and genuinely said it was good. 

We've still got a good month and a half of summer left, and a ton of fresh, seasonal produce to take advantage of.  Add this simple salad to your menu! You've still got plenty of time.


Zucchini "Pasta" Salad

Ingredients:
2 medium zucchini
1 cup chopped broccoli florets
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
salt and pepper, to taste
few basil leaves, chopped

Directions:
Using a spiralizer or a serrated peeler, shred both zucchini into noodle like shapes. Once you get to the middle of the zucchini, it gets soft so you can just toss them at this point. Toss the noodles into a medium sized bowl, along with the other veggies. 

In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper. Toss with the vegetables. Add in chopped basil leaves. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Let chill in fridge before serving. Serves 5-6

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