There are only a few more weeks left to the Summer of 2022, so make sure to
get your fill of the fresh produce that’s still available. Use the fresh produce
to make gluten-free pasta dishes.

Pasta Dishes?
Yes, using your vegetable peeler or spiralizer, make pasta “zoodles” that are
both healthy and delicious, and something even better: the 3 dishes listed below,
can be prepared and on the table in 15 minutes or less.

Recipe No. 1-
Pesto “Zoodle” Linguine with Shrimp!
Swap out the high calorie linguine and use yellow and green squash instead.
Ingredients:
2 yellow squash
1 zuccchini
2 cups of basil leaves
2 Tbs. of walnuts
1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup of olive oil
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 1/2 lbs. of shrimp (cooked)
To make:
Using a vegetable peeler or Spiralizer, cut yellow squash and zucchini
into noodles. Place in a colander set over a bowl or the sink and sprinkle
on some salt. Let it alone for 5 mins. and pat dry.
In a blender, puree the basil, oil, cheese, walnuts, lemon juice and zest.
Blend until smooth. Add salt and pepper, add the squash to this mixture and
then the shrimp (on top) Garnish with a basil leaf or two.
Calories per bowl with 3 shrimp- 425, Carbs-9g. Prot-41g.
Additional tips:
* If basil is too pricey, use fresh parsley.
* Small squash may be easier to cut into pasta strips and have fewer
seeds.
* Best way to avoid soggy “zoodles…”
Place the veggie strips in a colander and sprinkle with 1 to 2 tsp.
of salt. Let drain for 5 mins. Salt draws out excess moisture, ensuring
the veggie strips stay crisp.

Recipe No. 2-
Eggplant & Zoodles Bolognese!
The crunchiness of the squash adds a nice balance to the richness of the
meat sauce and smokiness of the eggplant.
Ingredients:
1 large eggplant, cut into 1/2″ slices
2 Tbs. of olive oil
2 medium zucchini
1 jar of bolognese sauce or make your own sauce with hamburger and/or
Italian sausage –4 cups
1/2 cup of fresh basil leaves
To make:
Heat up the grill for indirect cooking. Brush eggplant slices with oil;
season with salt and pepper. Grill eggplant slices for 4 mins. each side.
Using the spiralizer-cut the zucchini into noodles.
And to finish up- in a heatproof dish, microwave the sauce for a few mins.
or until heated through. Add the veggie noodles, grilled eggplant and basil
to sauce; toss well to coat.
Calories per serving-340, Prot-25g. Carbs29g.
Additional tips:
* If the weather outside isn’t cooperating, you can also bake the eggplant
indoors in the oven.
* Choosing a Sweet Eggplant-
Avoid bitter eggplants by looking at the bottom indentation. If the mark is shaped
like a dash, it’s female; if it’s round, it’s male. Male eggplants typically contain
fewer bitter seeds than the female eggplants.

Recipe No. 3-
Goat Cheese, Arugula & Beet “Pasta”
Impress family and friends with this take on a summer pasta dish, Beet pasta.
Ingredients:
4 Beets, peeled
1/3 cup of toasted walnuts
1/2 cup of crumbled goat cheese
4 cups of Arugula
1 tsp. of honey
1 tsp. of Dijon mustard
2 lemons, zested and juiced
1/2 cup of olive oil
To make:
Using a spiralizer or julienne peeler, cut beets into noodles. In a
large bowl, combine beet noodles with walnuts, goat cheese and arugula.
In a separate, smaller bowl, whisk the honey, mustard, 1/4 cup of lemon juice,
1 tsp. of lemon zest and oil. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over vegetables;
toss well to coat.
Calories per serving-450, Prot-11g. Carbs-12g.
Additional tips:
* For those who want meat, top this delicious dish with flank steak.
* Best way to prevent beet stains on your cutting board…
Before cutting the beets, spray the cutting board, plastic bowls and even
your hands with cooking spray. (Pam).
* Look for Spiralizers and julienne vegetables peelers at Walmart or Target store.

Sources:
* A Taste of Home Magazine
* Healthy Recipes Blog
* Mom Spark Blog- Zoodle Recipes

Make sure to share this blog with family and friends who are into alternative
ways to lower the calorie counts in pasta dishes. Share it over at Facebook,
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Thank You.