Zucchini Spaghetti with Olive Oil, Garlic, and Fresh Tomatoes

By Jodee Weiland

For some time now, I have wanted to try zucchini spaghetti. It sounded so healthy, I couldn’t help but be curious about how it would taste. So I sat down and researched the various tools to do this with and came across a wide variety of veggie spiralizers. There are all kinds from hand held to some that are larger, but are easier to use. I found out you can make zucchini spaghetti a number of ways. I chose to make my Zucchini Spaghetti with Olive Oil, Garlic, and Fresh Tomatoes with a veggie spiralizer I found at a local store by searching online.

https://learnfromyesterday.comWhat I found out during my search was that you can prepare the zucchini with a julienne peeler, a mandoline with a julienne blade, or with a veggie spiralizer type product. I chose the veggie spiralizer type product for a number of reasons after reading reviews and checking prices. The one I chose was at a store that gives 20% discounts with their coupons, so the price was under $25 with tax. The product I chose was made basically the same as a more expensive version at another store and both had similar reviews. Last of all, after looking into it, this product made preparing the zucchini so easy, it cut the time of preparation down tremendously.

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All the products can be used to prepare a number of vegetables, but the one I chose did more. To me, saving money, time, and being able to use a product for more than one thing is worth it. So that’s how I came to prepare my zucchini spaghetti with a traditional Aglio E Olio (garlic and oil) sauce and adding fresh diced tomatoes for additional flavor. My Zucchini Spaghetti with Olive Oil, Garlic, and Fresh Tomatoes was made with a veggie spiralizer, and I loved it!

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Zucchini Spaghetti with Olive Oil, Garlic, and Fresh Tomatoes

2 medium zucchini cleaned and skin removed (skin may be left on if preferred)
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 to 3 garlic cloves chopped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped finely
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (add more for more heat, if desired)
2 fresh Roma tomatoes diced
Sea salt
Grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese to taste

https://learnfromyesterday.comPrepare the zucchini first by peeling it and cutting it into long thin spaghetti like strands with a veggie spiralizer, a julienne peeler, or a mandoline with a julienne blade. Lightly salt the zucchini strands and put them into a colander for about thirty minutes, placing the collander in a large bowl, so the moisture in the zucchini can drain off. Toss and squeeze lightly every once in a while until ready.

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When ready, heat the olive oil in a large pan. When the oil is heated, add the garlic. Be sure to use a splatter cover because heated oil will splatter whenever anything moist is added to it. After you add the garlic to the oil, sauté it over a low heat for a few minutes until tender. Be careful not to burn the garlic. Add the fresh parsley and crushed red pepper, and then sauté another minute or two. Next, put the prepared zucchini spaghetti in the pan (again use the splatter cover for your pan).

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When it stops sizzling and has cooked slightly, turn off the stove and toss the zucchini gently in the olive oil and garlic mixture. You want the zucchini al dente, so only heat it for a few minutes, or it will become too soft. Transfer it all to a serving dish so it does not continue to heat. Last, add the fresh diced Roma tomatoes. Serve with grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese to taste. NOTE: Another alternative is to leave the zucchini spaghetti raw and put the heated olive oil and garlic mixture over it and toss lightly. It is a matter of personal preference. You choose which way you prefer to do this.

https://learnfromyesterday.comZucchini Spaghetti with Olive Oil, Garlic, and Fresh Tomatoes is so delicious and healthy, you will wonder why you didn’t try it sooner. It has a great flavor that will leave you wanting more. I enjoyed it so much that now I’m wondering why I didn’t try it sooner myself. I have to think being Italian and raised on wonderful pasta meals had something to do with it, but we had great zucchini dishes as well, so I’m not so sure about that. In fact, zucchini in olive oil and garlic has been served often in my home and tastes great. If you decide to give this recipe a try, I know you’ll love it, so enjoy!

Red Lettuce Salad with Apple, Goat Cheese, and Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

By Jodee Weiland Some of our first produce from our garden this year is red lettuce and green onions. Of course, for me that meant I had to make a salad using these ingredients. For my salad, I added some goat cheese and Granny Smith apples because I love both. With that and a Roma tomato topped by my Homemade Honey Mustard Vinaigrette, my Red Lettuce Salad with Apple, Goat Cheese, and Honey Mustard Vinaigrette is definitely delicious! https://learnfromyesterday.com Having fresh vegetables to eat straight from the garden is wonderful! I feel extremely grateful that we are able to have a garden and enjoy fresh vegetables all summer long. I love watching them grow, and I love picking them from the garden, preparing them for a meal, and finally, finding new ways to use them in my recipes! We can’t grow everything we’d like, but the Harvest Market in our town provides weekly anything else we might need or want during the spring to fall months. Summer is a wonderful time for fresh produce, and I love it! https://learnfromyesterday.com Red Lettuce Salad with Apple, Goat Cheese, and Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

2 cups red lettuce cut and cleaned
1 green onion chopped
1 Roma tomato halved and sliced
About 1/3 Granny Smith apple diced with skin
2 tablespoons crumbled goat cheese
Sea salt and ground pepper to taste
Homemade Honey Mustard Vinaigrette (or dressing of your choice)

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https://learnfromyesterday.com This recipe is enough for two sides with a meal or one meal salad. Put the red lettuce in your bowl and then add the chopped green onions and Roma tomatoes. Spread the apple pieces over the top of the salad, followed by the goat cheese. Add the Honey Mustard Vinaigrette last. https://learnfromyesterday.com My Red Lettuce Salad with Apple, Goat Cheese, and Honey Mustard Vinaigrette is delicious and healthy! You can serve it as a side to a meal or eat as a meal itself. If you eat it as a meal and want a little something more, serve it with a slice of crusty multigrain bread. Either way, you will love this salad, so enjoy!

Tasty Guacamole with Sweet Chili Pita Chips

By Jodee Weiland

I love guacamole ever since we spent some time in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. While there we had some of the best guacamole I had ever tasted. It was absolutely delicious and so tasty! I have tried to recreate this guacamole ever since that time, and I finally think I have succeeded with my Tasty Guacamole with Sweet Chili Pita Chips. The pita chips are something I found here in local stores, but the guacamole is my own adaptation of all the different recipes I have tried.

https://learnfromyesterday.com I start with the typical ripe avocados, cilantro, fresh lime juice, and onion. For me, it only seemed appropriate that I use a red onion. I then added jalapeno, which some recipes have and which I felt was a necessity in order to do this right. I added my favorites, minced garlic and Roma tomato. I then added ground black pepper and a little sea salt to complete my Tasty Guacamole with Sweet Chili Pita Chips. The Sweet Chile Pita Chips came about when I purchased a package for hummus a while back and everyone here loved the chips.

https://learnfromyesterday.com Tasty Guacamole with Sweet Chili Pita Chips

4 ripe avocados
2 limes, juiced
1 Roma tomato diced
1/2 cup red onion diced
1/2 cup cilantro chopped
1 jalapeno with seeds removed and diced (for more heat add 2 jalapenos)
1 teaspoon garlic minced
1 teaspoon ground black pepper Sea salt to taste

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Cut the ripe avocados in half, remove stone, and scoop out the flesh with a spoon. Cut the flesh of the avocados into pieces and add the juice of two limes. Add to this the Roma tomato, red onions, cilantro, jalapeno, garlic, and black pepper. Add sea salt to taste and mix up thoroughly with a spoon. Once done, you are ready to serve. Serve with pita chips or chips of your choice.

https://learnfromyesterday.com My Tasty Guacamole with Sweet Chili Pita Chips is not only delicious, it is healthy as well. The flavors of the fresh ingredients used to make this guacamole blend together to give it a rich flavor and taste. Adding the Sweet Chili Pita Chips was a personal preference for my family and myself, but you can use any chips you prefer. Whichever chips you decide on, when you taste this guacamole, enjoy!