It seems as though most people take issue with raw and/or vegan foods when they’re named after a non-raw or non-vegan equivalent. Case in point: nut or rice cheese. It’s unfortunate, because a lot of these foods are pretty darn good.
I say, let’s not get hung up on the name and enjoy the food for what it is. So I’m not going to call this pasta or spaghetti, but it is a pretty great substitute for your favorite noodle dish. And it’s a whole lot healthier and quicker to put together. Add a little raw goat cheese, and a sprinkle of crushed red pepper and I’m in pasta, I mean zucchini noodle, heaven.
Raw Zucchini Noodles with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients:
* 2-3 zucchini
* 16 sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in water until softened
* 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
* 3 Tablespoons olive oil
* salt and pepper
* crushed red pepper
* raw goat cheese, shredded (optional)
Directions:
Drag a vegetable peeler along the zucchini to create long, spaghetti-like noodles. Rotate around the zucchini, and continue to peel into noodles until you hit the seeds. Repeat with the remaining zucchini. Place noodles in a large bowl and set aside.
Drain the sun-dried tomatoes and combine in a blender with the basil and olive oil. Process until smooth. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Pour the pesto over the zucchini noodles and toss to coat. Pour into individual bowls and sprinkle with crushed red pepper and raw goat cheese, if desired.