Zucchini has made big waves in the trend of substituting carbs with vegetables. “Zoodles” have become a phenomenon for many healthy cooking recipes – where zucchini is “spiralized” and turned into a substitution for pasta. There are even spiralizer machines that contain different settings, allowing you to create zoodle shapes and sizes of your preference. Zoodles are not just a low-carb alternative to traditional pastas, they also provide many nutrients, making it a better option for your overall health.
Benefits of zucchini:
- Low-calorie. A cup of sliced zucchini is nearly 20 calories.
- It is packed with potassium. A cup equates to 8% of your recommended daily intake.
- High in vitamin C, which has antioxidant qualities. One cup has almost 33% of your daily recommended intake.
- Zucchini is water-based, making them a hydrating food.
Fun Fact
Zucchini is widely regarded as a vegetable, however, it actually falls in the fruit family, due to the fact that it comes from a flower. It is the product of a golden blossom.
Zucchini Noodles with Fresh Cherry Tomato Sauce Recipe:
Ingredients:
¼ cup olive oil, divided
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 medium zucchini
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
Directions:
- In a large sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat.Add garlic and cook until just fragrant, about 30 seconds.Add halved tomatoes to the pan, cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes until tomatoes are slightly softened.
- Stir in salt and black pepper.Using a potato masher, or fork, smash tomatoes down, releasing their juices.Cover again and simmer 5 more minutes or until tomatoes are completely softened.
- Mash sauce again with potato masher if you prefer less chunky sauce.Stir in chopped basil and set aside.
- While sauce cooks, prepare zucchini noodles.Using a vegetable peeler, peel thin strips of zucchini, lengthwise into long ribbons and set aside.Or use vegetable spiralizer to create noodles.
- Once sauce is ready, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat in a separate large sauté pan. Add zucchini noodles and toss for 1-2 minutes until just warmed.Serve immediately.
- Serve zucchini noodles topped with fresh cherry tomato sauce and 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese.
Yield: 4 servings (1/2 cup noodles with ½ cup sauce and 1 tablespoon cheese per serving)
Nutrition Facts: 209 Calories; 16 g Fat (3 g Saturated Fat; 0 g Trans Fat); 4 mg Cholesterol; 232 mg Sodium; 15 g Carbohydrate (4 g Fiber, 9 g Sugar, 0 g Added Sugar); 5 g Protein; 14% Daily Value (DV) Vitamin A; 40% DV Vitamin C; 0% DV Vitamin D; 13% DV Calcium; 7% DV Iron; 15% DV Potassium