Move over regular noodles, we’ve spiralized zucchini and dressed it with a creamy, tofu pesto sauce so you can hit your daily veg and protein targets!
Pesto Protein Zoodles
ingredients
2 large zucchini
200g/7oz firm tofu
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup (30g/1oz) pine nuts
Pesto sauce:
100g/3.5oz cashews
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1 tbsp minced garlic
¼ cup nutritional yeast
squeeze of lemon
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ large avocado
¼ cup plant milk
Toppings:
200g/7oz cherry tomatoes, cut in half
10 fresh basil leaves
method
1. Start by putting 100g/3.5oz of cashew nuts in a bowl or jar, and covering with boiling water for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, crumble 200g/7oz of firm tofu (using a fork or your hands) and put into a frypan with 1 tbsp olive oil and ¼ cup pine nuts. Cook for 4 minutes until nuts begin to golden.
3. Drain the cashews, and add into a blender with 1 cup fresh basil leaves, 1 tbsp minced garlic, ¼ cup nutritional yeast, a squeeze of lemon and the flesh of ½ a large avocado. Blend until smooth. Add into a large bowl with tofu mixture.
4. Using a zoodle-maker or spiralizer, create zucchini noodles with 2 zucchinis. *If you don’t have access to either of these, you can grate the zucchini or slice them lengthways very finely. Add to the large bowl and combine until all zoodles are covered in pesto sauce.
5. Add 200g/7oz of cherry tomatoes and 10 fresh basil leaves and serve.
nutritional information
Calories: 450kcal/1880kJ
Protein: 16g
Carbohydrates: 19g
Fat: 37g
Ve – Vegan
DF – Dairy Free
GF – Gluten Free
NF – Nut Free Option, replace cashews with sunflower seeds (& remove pine nuts)
Heart Health – Nutrient Boost – Immunity
Zucchini, also known as a courgette, is a type of squash. It is a great vegetable to add to your meal as it contains a good amount of vitamin C, B vitamins and heart-boosting properties. Vitamin C is our immunity powerhouse as it produces immune cells, protects against inflammation and fights infection. It also assists in iron absorption, giving you more energy and brain power to get through the day! Zucchini also helps balance your blood flow as it has high properties of fibre and potassium, but is low in fat and sodium. This maintains a steady blood pressure, reduces bad cholesterol and helps your heart stay healthy through appropriate circulation.
Annie Long
FBFM Head Recipe Designer
Annie is a certified nutritionist with a plant-based focus. She believes that eating a diet primarily made of plants is not only beneficial to our bodies, but also for the environment and the animals we share it with. Food is her passion, but when she’s not in the kitchen you’ll find her hanging out with her golden retriever somewhere by the sea!
instagram: @annielonglife