Ever since I first went Gluten free, zoodles have been one of my go to dinners. They are filling and not to mention delicious. I also make pesto almost every week and it is delicious to have on toast, pasta, and pizza!
Final Product, Photo: Lily Baldwin (Redwood Bark)
Ingredients
Zoodles
6-8 Zucchinis
1 tablespoon olive oil
Pesto
1 1/2 cups basil
1 1/2 cups baby spinach
1/3 cup olive oil (may need more or less depending on food processor)
1/3 cup walnuts, pine nuts, or cashews
1 clove pressed garlic
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
Garlic salt and onion powder to taste
Optional
For more textured pesto add 1/2 cup of chickpeas
For more creamy pesto add 1/2 avocado
Making the pesto in the food processor, Photo: Lily Baldwin (Redwood Bark)
1. Use a spiralizer to cut your zucchini into spaghetti like noodles. If you do not have a spiralizer you can use an apple peeler to peel long strips of zucchini off, until you reach the core where the seeds are (this takes longer but has the same effect).
2. Put a cast iron skillet over medium heat and add the 1 tablespoon olive oil.
3. Once the oil is coating the whole pan reduce the heat and add the zoodles.
4. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes.
5. While the zoodles are cooking, put the spinach, basil, and 1/3 cup of olive oil in a small food processor.
6. Pulse for 30 second or until the leaves are finely chopped. Next, add walnuts and garlic (now is also when you would add avocado or chickpeas).
7. Pulse again for 30 seconds, the pesto should be relatively think smooth, if the leaves are still whole or in large chunks, you made need to add more oil.
8. Lastly add the nutritional yeast, and then the Garlic salt and onion powder to taste. Pulse one last time to mix in the final ingredients.
9. When the zoodles are done cooking, drain any excess fluid.
10. Serve with pesto, any extra pesto can be refrigerated and stored in a mason jar for up to a week.
Catie and I just enjoying life while we spiralize, Photo: Lily Baldwin (Redwood Bark)
This recipe has room for a lot of variations, such as steaming the zucchini or subbing it out for summer squash. The most important thing is to have fun with it!