Zucchini Linguini with Basil Pesto

Zucchini “pasta” with pesto is super easy to prepare and cook – you only need about 15-20 minutes!

In the summer this is the perfect recipe – when zucchini, spinach, tomatoes and basil are perhaps even growing in your garden!

And hot days you may want to have the zucchini raw, which is perfectly fine. It’s the same with the tomatoes, you can fry them to your liking before you fry the zucchini and the spinach – or you can add them as they are.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

4 medium zucchini (ends trimmed)
1 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cups baby spinach
Pinch of unrefined sea salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons Cashew Hemp Basil Pesto ( or nut free pesto – see recipes below )
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons hemp seeds (or cashews or other seeds)

How to prepare:

1) Wash and then spiralize the zucchini into noodles, or use a peeler to make ribbons.

2) Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.

3) Lightly fry the zucchini, spinach, salt, and pepper and stir until the spinach has wilted, about 1 to 2 minutes.

4) Remove from the heat, and add the Cashew Hemp Basil Pesto and tomatoes (slightly fried or fresh).

5) Sprinkle with the hemp seeds (or e.g. sunflower seeds) before serving.

Tip: If you want to add more protein to this recipe you have many options. You can e.g. fry some shrimps and add those or slices of fried chicken breast, beef or salmon. And if you don’t like pesto, this dish is really tasty also without it, sprinkle some olive oil, and why not add some shredded Parmesan cheese?!!

Recipe source: https://www.foodmatters.com/recipe/zucchini-linguini-basil-pesto

Cashew Hemp Basil Pesto

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 cup basil leaves
1 garlic clove, peeled
¼ cup activated cashews
1 tablespoon hemp seeds
1 pinch unrefined sea salt and black pepper
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional)

How to prepare:

1) Blend all the ingredients in a food processor. If using a mortar and pestle, grind the basil, garlic, cashews, hemp seeds, salt, and pepper to form a paste.

2) Add the oil and lemon juice at the end and mix. If you’d like a cheesier flavor, add nutritional yeast.

3) Store in an airtight container or jar in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Recipe source: https://www.foodmatters.com/recipe/cashew-hemp-basil-pesto

Spinach Basil Pesto {Nut-Free}

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1,5 cups packed spinach leaves

1,5 cups packed basil leaves

1 cloves garlic

1 tablespoons lemon juice

1/8 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 pinch unrefined sea salt and black pepper

How to prepare:

Recipe source: https://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/spinach-basil-pesto/

By Maria