Vegan Zucchini Noodle Pasta with Chunky Napoletana and Almond Pesto

03 November 2015

Pasta is of course just one of those things that most of us cant live without right! And when you are trying to avoid it, you want it the most . As I always say, balance and moderation is key, so enjoying a hearty pasta every now and again is totally fine (i encourage it). But if you do feel a craving coming on, then this is the perfect appetite pleaser. I especially love this dish because it requires minimal cooking which preserves the nutrients of the vegetables included in the dish. This means more vitamins and nutrients are kept in tact for our bodies to absorb and benefit from. I hope you enjoy this one as much as I do!

Ingredients

Prep Time 30mins | Serves 2-3

1 tbsp. olive oil for cooking

3 large marrows – cut into noodle like strands using spiralizer or julienne peeler

5 tomatoes

1 clove fresh garlic

3 tbsp. olive oil

1 onion – chopped

½ cup parsley – stalks removed

1 tsp. dried origanum

½ tsp. dried mint

¼ tsp. cumin

1 tsp. stevia

1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup frozen peas

1 cup mushrooms – sliced

Rock salt to taste

Pesto

½ cup almonds

2 cups fresh basil

½ cup olive oil

1 tbsp. white balsamic vinegar

1 tsp. stevia

¼ cup pumpkin seeds

1 tsp. rock salt

Toppings

1 avocado – thinly sliced

¼ cup crumbled tofu / feta cheese

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare Veggie Napoletana Sauce

Place tomato, olive oil parsley, cumin, stevia, mint and origanum and garlic into a food processor and blend thoroughly for 1 minute until tomatoes become like a chunky salsa.

Place olive oil and chopped onions into medium sized cooking pot and fry for 1-2 minutes on high heat until onions are slightly brown. Reduce to medium heat. Add mushrooms, peas and carrots, and fry for 5 minutes. Lastly, add tomato blend and stir thoroughly. Allow to simmer on medium heat for 6 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Optional: Add tofu cubes, chicken or beef strips for extra protein

Step 2: Prepare Pesto

Add all pesto ingredients to food processor and blend for 2 minutes until nuts have broken down into fine nibs. Remove from blender and place in small serving dish. Set aside

Step 3: Prepare Zucchini Noodles

Add 2 cups water to a medium sized cooking pot

Place spiralised marrows in a steaming basket, and submierge into pot

Allow to steam for 5 minutes. Once slightly softened, remove from heat and set aside.

Step 4: Plating Up

Plate up approx. 1 cup zucchini noodles per serving. Top with 4 tablespoons napoletana sauce and 2 tbsp. pesto. Finish off with sliced avocado and crumbled feta or tofu.

Enjoy!

Yours in Health Always,

Cara-Lisa

@caralishious

xoxo