Traditional pesto pasta is incredible. A perfect comfort food with such an intense punch of flavor. But a giant bowl of pasta and cheese leaves me wanting to do nothing but take a long nap. So let's take the unhealthy stuff out of the equation and substitute them with more vibrant and nourishing ingredients. This raw pesto pasta dish is delicious, light, and leaves you feeling fueled and invigorated. The basil works as a fantastic anti inflammatory, the zucchini is hydrating, the garlic boosts your immune system, and the nuts are a great source of protein. Plus, this recipe is real easy to make and is ready to eat in minutes. enjoy it as a side dish or as an entree.
You will need:
- 3 large zucchini
- 1 cup of basil leaves
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup slivered almonds
- 2 lemons
- a pinch of sea salt
- a pinch of black pepper
- two large cloves of garlic
- 1 cup of yellow cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup sun dried tomatoes
To make the noodles, run your zucchini through a spiralizer or cut into long pasta like strips with a sharp paring knife. Squeeze juice of one lemon on noodles along with a sprinkle of sea salt. Mix and set aside in the refrigerator.
For the sauce, put basil, oil, almonds, garlic, and juice of one lemon in the food processor along with salt and black pepper to taste. Pulse until smooth.
Remove noodles from refrigerator and mix with sauce. Roughly chop both sun dried and fresh tomatoes and add to mixture. Toss and enjoy!
(Makes about two hearty servings)