Have you tried zucchini noodles? Otherwise known as zoodles.
Let me say this, do not cook them! They turn into a mushy mess. (Maybe I’m doing something wrong!) Honestly though, if you leave them raw and put some warm toppings on them (if you need that warmth from a meal), they are quite satisfying. Not to mention, zucchinis are high in vitamins A, C, and B6 as well as fiber and magnesium.
When making a meal with zucchini noodles, I always add some sort of legume or complex carbohydrate (or both). I do this because zucchinis, while rich with vitamins, are quite low in calories which means they may not keep you very full if you’re just sticking with zucchini noodles and tomato sauce, for example.
In this version, I’ve added peas, hummus, and baked polenta slices to round out the meal to make it more satisfying and nutrient dense.
This zucchini noodle bowl is so simple to make and comes together in about 20-25 minutes. It’s less of a recipe and more of a warm this up, spiralize that, now put it all into a bowl and eat! Mix up the toppings to suit your taste buds. If you aren’t a big fan of peas, maybe try chickpeas instead.
Quick Zucchini Noodle Bowl
- 1-2 zucchinis per person
- tomato-based pasta sauce of choice (homemade or store-bought)*
- hummus (homemade or store-bought)
- frozen peas (about 2/3-1 cup per person)
- 1 tube of polenta, sliced
- Olives of choice (I love kalamata)
- Place polenta slices onto a baking sheet and place into a 375-degree oven for about 20 minutes.
- Place tomato sauce and peas in their own pots and begin to warm up on the stove.
- While those are warming up, use a spiralizer to spiralize zucchinis into a large bowl.
- Once polenta, peas, and tomato sauce are warmed through it’s time to dish it all up.
- Place zucchini noodles into a bowl (or on a plate), top with peas, tomato sauce, a couple of scoops of hummus, and sliced olives.
- Add some polenta slices and you are ready to dig in!
*If you are using store-bought tomato sauce, look for one that is oil-free with no added sugar. For a simple tomato sauce that fits those guidelines here’s what I do. I dump all of this into a pot and let simmer for about 10 minutes.
2-15 oz cans of diced or crushed tomatoes (salt-free, with salt, or fire-roasted are all great)
1 can of tomato paste
a pinch or two of salt (add less at first if you are using salted tomatoes)
a bit of chopped garlic
some basil, oregano, or Italian seasoning to taste
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