Pesto Zucchini Pasta Pile Up! GF, V, BED, SCD!

Well, our time up North is slowly winding down. It’s been a good couple weeks, getting the house put back together after the fire back in May. Time to start thinking about going back to Cincinnati.

Pesto Zucchini Pasta Pile Up!

It’s actually been really nice to be “unplugged.” Granted, I still have the Internet, but not a TV. We’re waiting to get the cable box reinstalled — and evvvvverything taaaaakes loooooonger up here in the Northwoods. :)

oh my gosh, YUM!

It’s been kinda fun though, going to the different sports bars and watching the olympics. We bring a deck of cards and my Macbook (for GFHT posting, of course;) ) and camp out. I’ve had a couple glasses of wine, and thankfully my tummy has been okay with it! Yay! It’s been my first sip of alcohol in 10 months! Can you believe it!?

That is quite a feat, given how much I love going out with my friends.

Me, Dancing, Pre-Flare :) we’ll get back there, I have faith!

Like I said yesterday, my hair reflects my personality….what do you think? :)

wow

So anyway, that was a fun little trip back in time. I’ll get back to those days, where I was exuberantly full of zest and life. And with the Specific Carb Diet, I’m hopeful it will be one day soon here. But for now, back to the present. Back to healing. Back to Wisconsin.

the tomatoes give a bright burst of flavor!

Can you believe that it’s already starting to feel like fall up here? They were already selling acorn squash at the organic market today! (ps. I got one :) Get excited)

giant pile of green goodness!

So tonight for dinner, I had a bunch of basil that was on its last leg. You know what I’m talking about. I’ve got an avocado that’ll be in the same boat tomorrow. Time for some more pesto!

what a plate!

And this time, on Zucchini Pasta!! Yep! I had a Pile of Pesto Pasta for dinner! And it wasgooooood. :) And I threw in a stalk of broccoli to the pesto mix, just for the health of it;)

And it’s Gluten Free, Vegan, Body Ecology Diet and Specific Carb Diet SCD Friendly!

Here’s what you need: serves 1

1 zucchini, “noodlized”(I always go with 1 zuke per person)

3/4 cup fresh basil
2 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted
1 garlic clove
juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp EVOO
salt
1 stalk of broccoli, steamed (optional)

handful of cherry tomatoes (BED: omit)

Preheat your oven to 250 degrees. After you “noodlize” your zucchini, using either a peeler, mandolin, or spiralizer, squeeze them in a paper towel, and then put your noodles onto an olive-oil-sprayed baking sheet, spritz them with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put them in the oven for about 30 minutes, until they become vibrant green.

Meanwhile, steam your broccoli (if using) for 6 minutes until bright green and tender. And, make your pesto by combining all of your pesto ingredients in the food processor. Process until rich and creamy. You will need to scrape down the sides about 5 times.

Also, roast your tomatoes (if using) in the oven or on the stove top for about 8-10 minutes, until the skins are starting to wrinkle and brown.

slurpy zucchini noodles!

Finally, after your noodles come out of the oven, gently toss them with your pesto, and top with the roasted tomatoes.

catching some late evening lake sun!

This meal was terrific! It is so amazing to me how zucchini can actually have the texture  and “twirlability” of regular noodles! It’s crazy how good this was. My mom loved this too — “It tastes so fresh! You could serve this to company.” — There you have it sports fans:)

mmmm!

But it really did have a bright and fresh flavor that just exploded! The fresh basil, combined with the lemon, garlic and buttery pine nuts is a combination like no other. And the roasted tomatoes just brust in your mouth, providing a nice sweet and juicy contrast.

Gluten Free, Vegan, BED, SCD!

It was all around delightful. And so pretty too:) I love a big ol’ pile of green goodness!

OK, time for the Men’s 10M Platform final!

See ya tomorrow!

I got to use 2 of my favorite tools in this recipe! My spiralizer and my food processor! Here are the ones I recommend: