Happy Republic Day to all Indians!
Its Day Two of Denver and I got myself to go to the gym! Last night, we had Indian food at this place called India Tavern. V and I both enjoyed the food- it was really good and the host was a very sweet and friendly guy. We both ended up overeating, so gym today was definitely in line! I also tried eating healthier (as much as I could)- fruits and bagel with light cream cheese (yes, yes – “light” cream cheese- I really do need to lose weight!). (FYI dinner still awaits so I shouldn’t be jumping my gun.)
And, if you think I am bad with my weight issues, V is paranoid. He found a teeny weeny bit of paunch- and he has been freaking out since then- standing in front of the mirror, frowning at his almost negligible waist! And then, today on being asked what did he have for lunch, prompt came his response – a salad! Like, he could dream of eating anything else! (and here I am rejoicing for choosing “light” cream cheese instead of “regular”) Oh, the shame he brings to the Punjabi in me 😉 (Punjabi people in India are known for eating a lot- and eating food full of butter and cream!)
So to keep the spirit of being healthy (or well, trying to be), I decided to post the low-carb zucchini pasta recipe I tried a few days back. I remember hearing/reading (memory fails me here) about this pasta a long time back. The idea stuck on my mind for some time, and the other day when I passed the zucchinis at the supermarket I thought I’ll give it a try. Luckily, I found a similar recipe online too. (Click here for the link).
The recipe is quick and easy to make. It would have been quicker had I a mandolin, but since I did not, cutting the zucchini into long strands did take some time. Loved the flavors, and more so because it is so healthy!
ZUCCHINI PASTA
Adapted from here
Ingredients
- 3 zucchini
- 6 cloves, mashed
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp basil
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- Black pepper, as per taste
- Grated parmesan cheese, optional
Directions
- Cut the zucchini lengthwise into fettuccine like strands.
- Heat oil and butter in a skillet. Add the smashed cloves of garlic and sauté.
- Add the zucchini strands and mix.
- Add the seasoning, basil, oregano, salt, pepper and mix well.
- Add 2 tbsp water, if required and cook zucchini till it is tender. (I did not need to add water, since the zucchini cooked in its own water.)
- Top with grated parmesan cheese and serve.
Sounds like a great idea – using zucchini instead of pasta noodles. I will definitely have to give this recipe a try. It must contain so many less calories than a wheat-based pasta.
It totally does! Besides the lower calories, its so tasty and quick to make!
hey … i remember having this in london at some fancy yoga workout place…. and they added raw marinara sauce.. with the herbs and salt and stuff! i remember it was AWESOME!
Now I remember- u told me about this!!Marinara sauce would surely make it even more delish!
That’s really cool, I tried something like this last night and it worked really well! I added some tomato paste and a bit of water, along with a chopped-up quorn sausage and it was just like having a bowl of pasta without the calories!
I know! I love it and what you made sounds delicious! I have heard that using spaghetti squash instead of pasta is a also great low carb alternative to pasta. Just microwave it and it becomes stringy. With a fork take out the strands and mix it with a sauce of your preference. Haven’t tried it yet but heard it tastes like the real thing without extra calories!