Raw Zucchini Noodles with Walnut Pesto and Tomatoes

Zucchini and Summer Squash have started showing up in our CSA boxes.  We’ll be getting tons more for the next couple of weeks too.  There are SO many different ways to prepare squash but there is one way that is hands down my all time favorite.  For those of you who steer clear of pasta for whateve reason, this dish if for you.  I have type 1 diabetes and a gluten allergy so wheat pasta is the death of my blood sugar and my energy level.  UGH.  When I came across a recipe for raw zucchini pasta, I flipped out.  It’s just like pasta, but it’s raw zucchini!  No carbs, no wheat, no spiked blood sugar, no feeling like a train wreck the next morning, no negative side effects at all.  I can eat as much of this pasta as I want and my body squeals with delight because of all the vegetable intake.  Oh joy!  Allow me to introduce you to the best no-carb, all natural, unprocessed pasta goodness ever.  You can put whatever you want on top, but this is how I gobbled this pasta dish up.

Raw Zucchini Pasta with Walnut Pesto and Tomatoes

Ingredients:

Zucchini or summer squash, peeled (amount depends on size of squash and how many people you’re feeding)
Salt/pepper
3 medium tomatoes, quartered
4 garlic cloves (divided)
A couple glugs of olive oil
2/3 cup walnuts
3 cups fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup fresh parmesan cheese (optional)

Method:

Start with the zucchini and peel it into long strips (or short stripes if the squash is round) until you reach the seeds in the middle (a julienne peeler works best or a spiralizer if you have one).  You don’t want those in your noodles.  With a knife, cut each strip into noodles the width of fettuccine or however wide you like them.  Put noodles in colander, sprinkle with salt and let water drain off for at least 30 minutes.   It helps to squeeze the noodles every once in a while.

In the meantime, put tomatoes, 2 garlic cloves, a dash of salt and pepper, and drizzle of olive oil in a food processor and pulse until slightly liquified but still chunky.  Transfer to bowl and set aside.

Pesto time: put walnuts, basil, 2 garlic cloves, a dash salt and pepper, good glug of olive oil and Parmesan in a food processor and pulse until desire consistency.  Add more olive oil until smooth.

When zucchini noodles have drained and are flimsy like cooked noodles, toss with pesto and top with tomatoes.  Diiiig in and enjoy.

*for a little added umph, fry up some pancetta or andouille sausage to put on top.  Yum yum.

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