“It isn’t easy being green”- Kermit the frog.
While it might not be easy being green, it can be easy eating green. I know, it sounds weird (maybe a little gross depending on how “in touch” with your inner child you are) but I promise its easy AND healthy!
I recently purchased a spiralizer, which by the way was the BEST PURCHASE EVER!!! (Be expecting more spiralizer recipes to be posted soon). Anyways, my spiralizer enables me to make zucchini noodles in about 3 minutes tops, and I’ve been experimenting with TONS of different recipes. So far, I have yet to be disappointed.
Although I threw in some tomatoes to add some color, this recipe is full of my favorite green foods; zucchini noodles, broccoli florets, asparagus, broccoli slaw, and fresh basil pesto.
Start by spiraling 2 medium zucchinis to make your zucchini noodles. Chop your asparagus into 1.5 – 2 inch pieces and set aside. (Don’t forget to break off the bottom of the asparagus before chopping!)
Heat your Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) in a pan on medium-high heat. Stir in the minced garlic once EVOO starts to sizzle. Place your zucchini noodles, asparagus pieces, and broccoli florets into the pan. Toss veggies until they are coated in EVOO and let them sit. Stir once they begin to sizzle.
Once everything is starting to sizzle add your broccoli slaw to the pan. If you’re wondering what broccoli slaw is, its basically shredded broccoli stalks and carrots. I purchased mine in a bag from Trader Joe’s. If you can’t find broccoli slaw at the store you shop at, you can sub for shredded carrots instead.
Spice up your life…er dinner by shaking salt and pepper to taste, cumin, rosemary, red pepper flakes, and lemon juice over your veggies. Leave your veggies on medium-high heat to absorb these flavors for a minute or two.
Add your (WHOLE) cherry and sun-dried tomatoes before reducing the burner to a medium heat. Let veggies sit for 4-5 minutes, tossing every now and then so that the stuff on the bottom of the pan doesn’t burn.
Once your veggies begin to soften and appear to be translucent, stir in basil pesto and raw cashews. I recommend using fresh basil pesto. Make this by combining 2 cups of fresh, chopped basil, 5 TBS EVOO, ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese, 2 TBS pine nuts, 2 tsp minced garlic, and ¼ tsp salt in a food processor and pulse until reaching desired consistency. Voila! You now have fresh homemade basil pesto!
That’s all folks! Serve and enjoy! 🙂
- • 2 medium zucchinis, spiralized
- • 8 strings of asparagus, chopped
- • 1.5 cups of broccoli florets
- • 2 TBS Olive Oil
- • 1 clove minced garlic
- • 1 cup of broccoli slaw or 1/2 cup of shredded carrots
- • Salt and Pepper to taste
- • 1 tsp cumin
- • 1TBS dried Rosemary
- • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- • 1 TBS fresh lemon juice
- • 1 cup of cherry tomatoes
- • 1/4 cup of sundried tomatoes
- • 2 TBS basil pesto
- • 2 - 3 TBS Raw Cashews
- • Spiralize zucchini to create zucchini noodles, then break bottoms off asparagus and chop into 1.5 - 2 inch pieces and set aside.
- • Heat Olive Oil and minced garlic in a pan on medium-high heat. Add zucchini, asparagus, and broccoli florets. Mix well so that all veggies are coated in Olive Oil and let sit, tossing when veggies start to sizzle.
- • Add broccoli slaw (or shredded carrots)to the mix. Fold in salt and pepper to taste, cumin, rosemary, red pepper flakes, and lemon juice. Leave on medium-high heat, tossing every 30 seconds.
- • Add cherry tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes and reduce heat to medium heat and let sit for 4-5 minutes, tossing every now and then.
- • When veggies begin to soften and appear translucent, stir in basil pesto and raw cashews, serve, and enjoy!
- Make fresh basil pesto by combining 2 cups of fresh, chopped basil, 5 TBS EVOO, ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese, 2 TBS pine nuts, 2 tsp minced garlic, and ¼ tsp salt in a food processor. Combine until reaching desired consistency.
