Anyone with a vegetable garden will understand what I mean when I say the zucchini are soon to be among us. I’ve been growing vegetables for about four years now and by no means am I an expert, but there is one veggie that never fails to make me look like a pro, and that my friends is the zucchini.
At first, I didn’t know what to do with the abundance and I quickly got bored with zucchini muffins and moms’ zucchini chocolate cake. Just kidding! I never get bored of cake, but you know how it is… moderation, right?
Anyway, that all changed when I discovered that you could turn zucchini (and other vegetables like carrots, beets, cucumber and sweet potato) into noodles! I am a noodle enthusiast, so for me, this realization was revolutionary.
You can use zucchini noodles (or zoodles) in place of regular noodles in quite literally any recipe you can imagine. Now, I’ll be the first one to tell you it’s 100% alright to enjoy the occasional dish of pasta, but if you want something a bit lighter or are simply looking for a creative way to incorporate more vegetables into your diet, zoodles are the way to go.
How do you turn zucchini into pasta?
Simple.
I used a handheld vegetable slicer that I bought from Think Kitchen for $4.98.
This device is affordable, easy to use and the end result is relateively good. Depending on your preference, counter space and budget, there are other options on the market. Some of the more popular choices are:
Vegetable spiralizers
Julienne peelers
Mandolines
And spiralizer attachments of stand mixers
Trying this recipe is a great place to start experimenting with vegetable noodles. A simple stir fry is so easy to throw together and also so versatile. Simply prepare your vegetables, toss them in a wok or saucepan with a little extra virgin olive oil, season, garnish and serve.
I decided to sauté my zoodles along with the other vegetables in this recipe. However, you could also enjoy them boiled, baked, microwaved or raw then topped with the stir fry mixture.
Full of local veggies, this Zucchini Noodle Summer Stir Fry is:
Light and fresh
Packed with essential vitamins and minerals
& Extremely easy to make, coming together in less than 30 minutes
Make it a meal! Add in a few pieces of local sausage or tofu from Acadiana Soy Products.
If you try this recipe at home, please let us know what you think! Post a photo on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter and #uprootedblog.
- 2 medium zucchini (Elmridge Farm Ltd, Centreville, NS)
- 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 2 large cloves of garlic (Elmridge Farm Ltd, Centreville, NS)
- 1 c. small cremini mushrooms, whole (Valley Mushrooms, Hartsville, PEI)
- 1 c. cherry tomatoes, halved (Den Haan Greenhouses, Lawrencetown, NS)
- 1 c. sliced bell pepper, any colour (Den Haan Greenhouses, Lawrencetown, NS)
- Salt and freshly cracked pepper
- ½ an avocado, sliced
- Fresh pea shoots to garnish (Clam Harbour, NS)
- Prepare the zucchini noodles using a vegetable slicer, julienne peeler, spiralizer or other tool. Place the noodles in a bowl and cover with cold water. Set aside
- In a wok or medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for approximately 2 minutes
- Add the mushrooms and continue to cook for an additional 2 minutes
- Add the tomatoes and sliced peppers, sauté for 1-2 minutes
- Drain the water from the zucchini noodles. Add noodles to the wok/saucepan, season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine
- Continue to toss until heated thoroughly, being careful not to overcook
- Remove from heat and distribute into 2 individual serving bowls. Top with sliced avocado and garnish with fresh pea shoots. Serve immediately