Zucchini Noodles with Lobster

Still loving my vegetable spiraler! Especially now that the weather has warmed up and cool, light dishes are more appetizing than warm heavy ones.

If you've missed my previous posts about zucchini noodles here's a quick primer. If you don't have a spiraler you can also use a Julienne peeler and it doesn't take too much longer.

Now for the really fun part....the lobster! Depending on how many you're serving you may want to use imitation lobster as the real thing can be pricey (around $13 for one tail at my grocery store!) Imitation lobster is mostly Alaskan Pollack which is very sustainable so not to worry:) And as the garlic sauce is very flavorful you could probably substitute just about any white fish.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:
4 zucchini, trimmed
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup lightly packed coarsely chopped fresh dill
1/2 cup lightly packed coarsely chopped parsley
3 tbsp olive oil
Fresh found black pepper, to taste
2 cups multicolored baby tomatoes, halved
2 cups coarsely copped cooked and cooled lobster meat (about 10 oz)

Directions: (serves 4)
Working 1 piece at a time, secure zucchini into a spiraler and crank long strands that resemble spaghetti noodles. In a bowl toss noodles with 1/4 tsp salt and transfer to a colander for about 15 to 20 mins to drain excess water.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine lemon zest, garlic, dill and parsley. Add oil and lemon juice and mix until combined.
Arrange noodles on a large tray lined with a clean, dry towel. Cover with a second towel and gently pat to absorb any excess water. Add noodles to bowl with herb mixture and toss gently to combine. Season with pepper and additional salt. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with tomatoes and lobster.

Zucchini "Fettucine" with Tomato Sauce

Zucchini noodles aren't new to me but the vegetable spiraler is! A friend posted about hers recently and as much as I wanted one I had to remind myself that I have more cooking gadgets than I can fit in my kitchen cabinets.

Then I happened to see one at William Sonoma when I was shopping for a bridal shower gift last weekend and - oops - it somehow ended up coming home with me.



If you aren't ready to invest in a vegetable spiraler you can purchase a Julianne peeler for much less and create zucchini noodles as described here.

Ingredients: (serves 4-6)
4 large zucchini or yellow squash
5 vine ripened tomatoes
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 clove garlic, chopped
1 tsp chopped jalapeño pepper
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tsp chopped fresh oregano

Directions:
Trim and peel the zucchini, then use a vegetable spiraler or Julianne peeler to create "noodles". Transfer to a colander and toss with 3/4 tsp salt; let drain in the sink. If serving cold remove and pat dry. If serving hot steam for several minutes and, this step is very important, press moisture out with a towel.
Meanwhile, peel the tomatoes using a sharp vegetable peeler. Puree 1 tomato with the olive oil, garlic, jalapeño, and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper in a food processor or blender.
Roughly chop the remaining 4 tomatoes and combine with puree in a mixing bowl. If serving hot combine in a saucepan and simmer for several minutes.
Divide the zucchini among bowls and top with the tomato sauce + pine nuts, basil, oregano and salt to taste.

Anti-pasti with Zucchini Noodles

Also known as "anti-pasti anti-pasta." Hehe. I saw the original recipe which called for bow tie pasta in a "health" magazine. Grrrr. But with a few tweaks I was able to clean it up :)

To make zucchini noodles carefully run a Julienne peeler from one end of the zucchini to the other. which will create a half dozen long "noodles." (You can also start from the middle and work outwards to make shorter noodles.) When you get 1/4 way through the zucchini (when the noodles start to get soft) flip it over and peel the other side. You will end up with the middle of each zucchini left over which you can chop and steam or use in a smoothie like I did this morning.

Ingredients: (serves 4)
5-6 zucchini peeled with Julienne peeler
2 cups chopped fennel bulb
1 cup quartered artichoke hearts
1 cup diced bell pepper
1 cup cannellini beans, rinsed
1/2 cup salami, sliced
1/2 cup panchetta, cubed (TJ's)
1/4 cup provolone cheese, shredded
3 tablespoons pepperoncinis, sliced

Dressing:
Whisk 1/4 cup lemon juice, 2 cloves garlic, minced, 2 tbsp olive oil, salt, pepper and a dash of oregano

Zucchini Linguine with Spicy Sausage

The last time I featured zucchini linguine I recommended using a Julienne peeler to make the "noodles." However, I discovered that my brand new food processor (a wedding shower gift from my mom's cousins:) has a thin slicing disc that is quicker...and more fun! If you have a food processor simply slice off the ends of the zucchini so it will fit on its side in the feed tube. Then gently apply pressure to the pusher. The slicing disc will create thin noodle-sized slices of zucchini which you can then toss onto the stove and steam for several minutes.
Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

½ pound hot Italian turkey sausage, casings removed, roughly crumbled

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/8 tsp crushed red pepper

1 lb broccoli rabe, cut into 2 inch pieces

½ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

¼ cup plus 4 tsp freshly grated pecorino Romano

¼ tsp black pepper

6 zucchini, sliced into long, thin strands

Directions:

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add sausage and sauté, breaking up large chunks with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and crushed red pepper. Add broccoli rabe and cook, tossing with tongs, 1 minute. Add broth, reduce heat to medium, cover and cook until broccoli rabe is tender, about 3 minutes.

Add steamed zucchini “noodles” to sausage mixture, toss well with tongs. Add ¼ cup cheese and black pepper and toss well. Divide among four bowls and sprinkle w/ cheese. 

Zucchini Linguine with Tuna and White Beans

There was a time in the not so distant past that I thought "Carb-free?? You've gotta be kidding!" (Of course by "carb" I meant "grain" although I didn't realize that at the time;) I couldn't imagine depriving myself of big bowls of pasta or sandwiches on thick, sour dough rolls. And, as I discovered on my trip to Brazil last November, there is a REASON I couldn't imagine it.

In a nutshell, refined carbohydrates raise blood-sugar levels, setting up an insulin surge that drives blood sugar down again. This causes rebound hunger which explains why, a few hours after eating a starchy meal, we're hungry again. That insulin spike also interferes with leptin, the hormone secreted by fat cells that should tell the body to stop eating which is why a 90 lb girl can polish off a family sized portion of Fettuccine Alfredo. Lastly, consuming refined carbohydrates increases CRAVINGS which explains why someone who consumes starchy meals regularly feels like she would be "depriving" herself to do otherwise.

In preparation for my upcoming wedding I have been "depriving" myself of grains for three weeks and plan to continue doing so for the next three months (then returning to my grain-in-moderation approach which is about 2-3 times a week). The cravings wore off by the second week and I feel better than I have in months. Oh, and without doing a single sit-up I have rediscovered my abs!

Of course right after I made the decision to go grain-free I came across a delicious looking spinach linguine recipe. I ripped it out of the magazine and just as I was about to file it under "recipes to try in a few months" it occurred to me that I could substitute zucchini for the linguine. And thanks to my future mother-in-law, I actually have the tool to do it:)

So grab your Julienne peeler and prepare for one of the most delicious non-pasta, pasta dishes you've ever tasted....

Ingredients: (makes two servings)
3 Zucchini
8 oz canned tuna packed in oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained'
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cupe chopped Italian leaf parsley, plus whole leaves for garnish
1/2 thinly sliced lemon

Directions:
Carefully run the Julienne peeler from one end of the zucchini to the other. This will create a half dozen long "noodles." (You can also start from the middle and work outwards to make shorter noodles.) Set aside in a medium sized bowl.
Drain tuna, reserving oil in a large bowl. Whisk juice, garlic, salt and pepper with oil. Flake tuna into same bowl. Add noodles, beans, onion and chopped parsley; toss gently to coat with dressing. Serve garnished with parsley leaves.