Green Pesto Low-carb Noodles

Here’s a recipe for an amazing summer salad that take all of 6 minutes.  

INGREDIENTS:

  • 3 zucchinis 
  • Handful of basil
  • two tablespoons pine nuts
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • teaspoon himalayan salt
  • a few chopped sundried or fresh cherry tomatoes
  • optional: sprinkling of parmesan cheese

 

METHOD:

1. Using a spirilizer, create noodles out of zucchinis.  If you don’t have a spirilizer, you can use a veggie peeler or grater and create thin strips. (but seriously, buy a spirilizer!)

2. Blend basil, pine nuts, olive oil, and salt

3. Toss zucchini with pesto dressing and add chopped sundried or cherry tomatoes

4. Serve. 

 

THE LOW DOWN:

The glory of this recipe is that it takes all of 6 minutes.  But here's the thing, most people just have pine nuts lying around.  They're an expensive nut and unless you're making pesto all the time, or tossing them in your salad its an easy thing to not have lying around.  So here's a list of alternatives to what's listed.  Get creative with your spin on pesto.  Use up the stuff in your fridge or try something new!

  • Instead of pine nuts, brazil nuts work really well! And they are full of selenium which counteracts mercury (for those of you that eat fish), you may also try cashews and walnuts.
  • In addition to the olive oil, or in place of it, use half an avocado.  If you are skipping the oil, use a bit of water so that it will blend. 
  • Traditional pesto calls for basil, but you can totally add tarragon or spinach for a twist on it. 
  • Garlic. If you are a garlic lover and need garlic in everything. Then you must add a clove or two to this.  Just note that Its going to be raw and therefore very sharp tasting garlic, so adjust to your tastebuds or use a few teaspoons of garlic powder.  Garlic powder is not as nutritionally optimal as fresh garlic, but a great deal easier to chew on. 

 

Yum