If you don’t have a spiralizer in your kitchen, you really should get one. I am not a fan of having gadgets for the sake of it, but to eat consciously and healthily I do think you need a few things, including a juicer, blender and of course a spiralizer. I use mine daily and could not be without them.
A spiralizer effortlessly turns your vegetables into spaghetti, ribbons, rice and more, and its so easy to use that even my arthritis ridden hands that can’t close around a pen have no problems making my favourite foods with them.
I made this healthy version of my once favourite pesto pasta for a luncheon with my brother a few weeks ago. I put a photo on my blog’s facebook page and several people asked me for the recipe. So here it is, just for them and just for you. This is a great spring and summer recipe, its fresh and delicious with a lovely bite to the courgette.
Plant based fats, such as the olive oil, avocado and pine nuts in this recipe, are incredibly good for you and have really helped me to feel better in my struggle against rheumatoid arthritis.
ingredients
spaghetti
4 large courgettes
9 chestnut mushrooms, sliced
pesto
1 large ripe avocado
Large handful of basil
1 cup of pine nuts
3 shallots, chopped
1 cup organic extra virgin olive oil
½ cup mineral water
method
1. put the flesh of the avocado, most of the pine nuts, shallots and fresh basil into a blender and blend on a medium speed. Slowly add the water and olive oil while blending until the mixture is soft, smooth and silky. You don’t need to use all the oil and water, use it until you have reached a consistency that you are happy with.
2. put all four courgettes through the spiralizer until you have long spaghetti shapes.
3. heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan and add the mushrooms moving them around the pan until they start to brown. Then add the spiralized courgettes, stiring them for 10 minutes until they are softened and reduced in size. They should still have a lovely crunchy bite to them.
4. in the meantime, toast the remaining pine nuts over a medium heat in a dry pan moving continually until golden.
5. add half the pesto to the courgette spaghetti while in the pan and stir to warm through
6. serve in a pasta bowl, sprinkle the toasted pine nuts to top and add a sprig of basil.
The Olive Tree Kitchen 