I will be the first person to admit, and the last… that I’m addicted to pasta. Since I was a young girl, I have been addicted to Italian cooking and along with that came my obsession with pasta. But, as much as it is a comfort food for me I know that too much of it is just not good for my body (or my weight), so I try to substitute my pasta with different choices. I use a variety of ingredients to create my pasta dishes and here’s one that I would like to share with you.
I LOVE Veggie Pasta… and I’m not talking about the pasta being flavored with vegetables but still using traditional “pasta” ingredients. When I say veggie pasta, I mean actually using vegetables (like zucchini) to create pasta like (like spaghetti shaped) veggies that you lightly saute. Now, if you are not a veggie eater… this way of eating may actually convert you. It’s simple and I use vegetables like Butternut Squash, Zucchini, Yellow Squash, carrots, cucumbers and so much more… but my absolute favorites are Zucchini, Yellow Squash/Yellow Zucchini and Butternut Squash. Sauteed quickly in garlic salt, pepper and a little coconut oil and you have a treat that will even trick the kids into eating their veggies. The veggie pasta is slightly crunchy and satisfies texture you want in food but it also tastes great, has awesome health benefits and easy to make. So keep on reading for an easy zucchini pasta recipe.
I have several types of utensils and tools to create my julienne style veggie pasta. When using an item to create your yummy pasta, you want to make sure that it is sharp and easy to use. Priority Chef offers a great Dual Julienne and Vegetable Peeler and I use both sides to create my pasta from my favorite squash type veggies. They julienne side is used to create skinny spaghetti like pasta with your vegetables while the peeler side makes larger cuts of vegetables which I like to use to create vegetarian lasagna. Because the peeler side will peel your vegetables a little wider, it makes the perfect sized peels that are similar in width to that of lasagna noodles and is perfect for creating just that.
Since I’m a busy mom, I’m all about getting things done and accomplished quickly and efficiently so for me, a dual ended anything that allows me to use the item in more than one way without searching through countless utensil drawers for another one is a great idea. The Priority Chef Dual Julienne and Vegetable Peeler retails for $19.95 which is a pretty darn good deal considering you are getting a product that works and works well.
I love that this tool has two sides and while I mostly use it on my vegetables to make veggie pasta, I love how easy the vegetable peeler side glides through cheese blocks, making it a much more affordable alternative to buying already shredded cheese in the store. I save a bit of money by buying block cheese and shredding it myself. I can easily use either side to create the size of cheese shreds I want to use. The options are endless, honestly.
Like with any tool or utensil used in the kitchen, there definitely is a learning curve to using this product. But after just a few tries, I got it instantly and it is a breeze. Like with any peeler or julienne cutter, you can expect the clean up to be a challenge, but I found it to be a breeze when I used my scrub brush… just a little swipe of the brush and it was clean and ready to use again.
So, like I said previously – creating your zucchini or veggie pasta is simple. I preferred to use the julienne side this time around and just ran it down the length of the vegetable. As you can see if easily sliced through the vegetable creating nice spaghetti sized strips of zucchini that are ready to be cooked for your meal.
Take a skillet or wok, frying pan or whatever works for you and turn it on medium. Add a little coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil if you have that on hand and when the oil has been heated, add your zucchini shreds. Season your pasta with salt, pepper and what ever other ingredients you would like (fresh herbs or dried herbs are always a favorite in our house). Serve alone, with your favorite protein or meats or pour (or toss) some homemade (or jarred) tomato sauce / pasta sauce and you’re ready to go. This simple little add on is a favorite of my children and mine and we do enjoy it in our house so I know that as simple as it is – you’ll enjoy it too. No more waiting for your water to boil, this is actually faster than you think.
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.
