It's mid-cleanse, and we thought perhaps you’d like some pasta.
Using this season's bounty—your garden's unrelenting zucchini, as well as basil, and parsley—we've constructed the perfect summer meal. Trust me: you won't miss the starchy noodles.
*This recipe is best made with either a Spiralizer or Zoodler ("health-food" contraptions I swear were advertised between episodes of Three's Company and The Rockford Files), but can also be made with a vegetable peeler or special food processor attachment.
For the Mineral-Rich Pesto:
2 cups mixed herbs, packed: basil, parsley, cilantro….
½ cup extra virgin olive oil (see our Skinny on Olive Oil post here)
½ cup Go Raw Sprouted Pumpkin Seeds
¼ lemon or lime
Optional:
1-2 peeled garlic cloves, chopped
Pink Himalayan salt (don't add until you’ve fully mixed and tasted this! The pumpkin seeds are already salted)
Freshly ground organic black pepper
For the "Noodles":
2 large zucchinis (spaghetti squash works well too)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground organic black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional—if you know nightshades work for your body!)
Place herbs, pumpkin seeds, garlic, and a few squeezes of lemon juice into a food processor or blender and chop/blend until ingredients are smooth and integrated.
Using your tool of choice, ribbon the zucchini and set aside. In a large sauté pan, heat extra virgin olive oil over moderate heat, and add the garlic (if desired), red pepper flakes (if you know nightshades are okay for you), along with ¼ tsp salt and some freshly ground pepper. When the oil is hot, toss in the zucchini and sauté for 3-5 minutes depending on volume and thickness of your noodles. Sometimes the zucchini releases water—you can pour this off in the sink.
Transfer to a shallow serving bowl and toss with pesto.
Garnish with ground pumpkin and hemp seeds. For a more substantial meal, serve with homemade turkey "sausage:" use ground turkey thigh meat and fennel to re-create the flavor of Italian sausage.