Zoodles and Pesto

Zoodles with Pesto,  Chicken, and Cherry Tomatoes

I must admit I have been missing Italian food, especially noodles and pizza. Oh how I've missed them! Pizza and noodles are the two things that my husband and I crave the most. Not sweets or chocolate, but some good Italian food. After much time searching the web, I found a fantastic pizza recipe over at Grass Fed Girl.  It's absolutely amazing. But, I will have to share that recipe another time. It's the perfect pizza crust and she even has a video up on how to make it.

I was giddy with excitement when I saw everyone posting about the spiral slicer and how awesome it was to use to make noodles out of your favorite vegetables.  I could hardly wait to order one, but I did.  My patience paid off because it finally went on sale over at Amazon and I got it for only $17.  I jumped up and down when I placed the order and couldn't wait till it arrived on my doorstep.  It finally arrived and was very easy to put together.  I immediately went to work making noodles out of everything I could get my hands on.  My favorite is the zucchini noodles.  Most people call them zoodles. (Love that!)

I had just made a fresh batch of homemade pesto and couldn't wait to try it on some noodles.  If you already have your noodles made, it is a very quick and easy recipe that you can throw together in a hurry right before your kids ball practice, after your workout, or before the big game.  I keep pesto on hand at all times.  It's so easy to throw in eggs, soup, or on your zoodles.  Here is the recipe. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Pesto Recipe

Toasted Pine Nuts

Ingredients:

• 1  3oz. package pine nuts - toasted
• 4  cups Basil
• 4  cups Spinach
• 1  whole garlic clove - peeled
• Salt - to taste
• 1/2 cup Olive Oil - it may take a touch more or a touch less

Fresh Basil, Spinach,  Garlic, Pine Nuts
and Salt

Instructions:

1. Place pine nuts in a pan and toast them until they start to turn toasty brown.  Watch them closely because they will burn quickly!
2. Put peeled garlic, pine nuts, spinach, basil, and salt all in the food processor.
3. Pulse in food processor until everything is completely broken down.
4. Drizzle in your olive oil slowly. Mix until the desired thickness. We like ours thick.
5. Taste and see if it needs more salt or olive oil.  



Homemade Pesto

6. You can either place your prepared pesto in ice cube trays and freeze for another day or put it in a mason jar and use a little daily.  That is what I do.  We love this stuff and use it all the time. It will last in the fridge for several weeks.

 Zoodles with Pesto and Chicken
Serves 2 

Ingredients:

• 1/4 to 1/2 cup Pesto - according to taste really
• 2 Chicken Breast sautéed or 4 chicken tenders
• 2 Zucchini - Spiral sliced
• 1 Squash - Spiral sliced
• 1/2 cup halved Cherry Tomatoes

  

  Lots of Zoodles

Instructions:

1. Sauté your chicken breast/tenders until they turn golden brown and the juice is running clear. Set aside. 
2. Measure out your pesto. Spiral slice the zucchini and squash and place in a large skillet.  
3. Next add in your pesto and gently stir the noodles and the pesto  together with a set of tongs.  You may want to add a touch more or a little less depending upon taste.  The amount really depends on how much pesto you enjoy.  We love it and probably use more on our noodles than most people. 
4. Place your chicken to the skillet and gently stir.  You don't want to have smashed noodles. 
5. Add in the cherry tomatoes right before serving.  The noodles don't really have to cook so once everything is all incorporated you are ready to serve your delicious pesto zoodles.  
6. Plate up the yummy pesto zoodles, add a sprig of basil and you are ready to enjoy a bit of heaven on a plate.  

This really is a quick easy meal to prepare.  I keep a bowl of veggie zoodles in my fridge all week so I can use them in different recipes.  I can pull out my pesto and have a 5 minute meal or take a few more minutes and add some chicken or shrimp to it.  So good and very economical!  My hubby loves that!

If you need me I'll be in the kitchen....
Stefanie