Zucchini Noodles w/ Avocado Pesto Sauce | vegan, gf, df
Avocados are probably one of my favorite fruits (I only recently discovered that it was not, in fact, a vegetable) and are such great sources of flavor and nutrition. Avocados provide significant amounts of Vitamins like Vitamin K, C and E and nutrients such as Potassium and Folate. They are also most commonly known for its heart-healthy fats–mainly mono-saturated fats that contain an ingredient called oleic acid. Not only are mono-saturated fats said to help reduce inflammation and reduce cholesterol levels, they are also important in boosting nutrient absorption, especially for fat-soluble vitamins.
Avocados are a staple ingredient on my weekly grocery list. They are the perfect creamy addition to most meal preps (add it as a garnish to a bowl, top your bowl of soup or chili with it, add it on top of eggs, etc.) and are also a VERY versatile ingredient. You can find avocados as the star or supporting actor in many savory and sweet recipes.
Tip 1: Store your avocados in the fridge if it takes you longer to use them up over the week. Overly ripe avocados have a quick expiration date–prolong their life by leaving out only as many as you intend on using that day and storing the rest.
Tip 2: If you’re only using half an avocado, store the rest in a AIR-tight container. Oxidation (and thus the brown color) results when there is air exposure. A zip-lock bag works great. I recently bought Food-Huggers and they work well and are a more sustainable option. This can extend the life of your avocado by a couple more days.
Zucchini Noodles with Avocado Pesto Sauce
Equipment
- veggie spiralizer
- blender or food-processor
Ingredients
- 2 whole avocados pitted
- 2-3 cloves peeled garlic
- 1/2 fresh lemon juice only
- handful fresh basil
- 4 organic zucchini peeled and spiralized
- salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil use less or more depending on sauce consistency
- 2 tbsp hemp hearts optional
Instructions
- Rinse and peel the zucchini. Using a veggie spiralizer, grate the zucchini into a large bowl. Set aside.
- In a blender or food processor (I used the latter), add the avocados, garlic, lemon juice, basil and 1/2 of the olive oil and blend into a creamy consistency. Add in the rest of the olive oil as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Spoon the puree into the bowl with the zucchini and combine until zucchini noodles are evenly coated.
- Garnish with salt and pepper, fresh basil and hemp hearts. Serve immediately.
If you make this recipe, please let me know in the comments!
In sangha,
Grace