Bare Nutrition was founded by two Italian sisters, so it’s only natural that we develop some healthy Italian-inspired recipes. We’d love to eat pasta and garlic bread and have cannolis for dessert, but realistically, our bodies don’t want or need that. We’ve talked about zucchini noodles a time or two, and that’s because they are a Bare Staple meal. We make them all the time, for one, because they are so versatile, so you never get bored with them (check out our Asian-Inspired Zoodle recipe here). Secondly, they are an awesome, light and healthy alternative to pasta dishes. If you haven’t purchased a spiralizer, they’re super affordable, and well worth it. Inspiralizer or the Veggetti Pro are good options and can be bought online or at Target, Bed Bath and Beyond, Home Goods, etc.
But let’s get to the real deal, the thing that makes this dish Italiano-style, and the thing that makes this dish so satisfying—the cream sauce. If you thought you couldn’t have cream sauce, because it’s unhealthy or high in calories or has dairy, you’re wrong (thank God, right?). And if you’re plant based, mostly plant based, or like to go animal-free sometimes, you’re also in luck, because this cream sauce has a ton of protein, no dairy, but lots of flavor and that amazing, creamy texture.
Ingredients: Serves 2-3
The Zoodles:
2 large zucchinis
½ sweet onion
1 red bell pepper
1 cup mushrooms
2 cups spinach
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp olive oil or avocado oil spray
The Sauce:
½ cup cashews*
¼ cup sunflower seeds*
¼ cup hempseeds*
¼ cup nutritional yeast
¼ cup water (or more until desired consistency)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic
Juice of ½ lemon
Fresh or dried basil to taste
Salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste
*may also sub for a full cup of cashews or 1/2 C cashews +1/2 C sunflower OR hemp seeds
Instructions
1. Put all sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Set aside.
2. Finely chop garlic, roughly chop the onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms for zoodles
3. Place in a pan on medium high heat with a drizzle of olive oil (~1 tsp) or spray of avocado oil spray. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Spiralize your zucchinis while the onions, peppers, and mushrooms cook down a bit (about 5 minutes).
5. Add in the spinach, and let it cook down just a little (about 2 minutes).
6. Add in the zucchini noodles, mixing everything together, and cook for another 3-4 minutes. (The zoodles cook very quickly so cooking longer than 5 minutes may make them mushy.)
7. You may want to add additional seasoning to the completed mixture (more black pepper, and a few dashes of crushed red pepper).
7. Plate the zucchini noodle mixture, add the sauce, mix it all together, and enjoy!
1. Put all sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Set aside.
2. Finely chop garlic, roughly chop the onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms for zoodles
3. Place in a pan on medium high heat with a drizzle of olive oil (~1 tsp) or spray of avocado oil spray. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Spiralize your zucchinis while the onions, peppers, and mushrooms cook down a bit (about 5 minutes).
5. Add in the spinach, and let it cook down just a little (about 2 minutes).
6. Add in the zucchini noodles, mixing everything together, and cook for another 3-4 minutes. (The zoodles cook very quickly so cooking longer than 5 minutes may make them mushy.)
7. You may want to add additional seasoning to the completed mixture (more black pepper, and a few dashes of crushed red pepper).
8. Plate the zucchini noodle mixture, add the sauce, mix it all together, and enjoy!
