In the past week as the weather has been beautiful, sunny, and 80+ degrees, I’ve been dreaming of Zoodles (or Zucchini Noodles) with Pesto. So not kidding. I have literally had dreams of the garden overflowing with zucchini and making countless zucchini dishes. (Remind me in August that I actually wished for this in May!)
There is often a break in the spring between Winter CSA’s (Community Supported Agriculture) and Summer CSA’s. Due to the snow and cold in the north, the root veggie storage is on it’s way out and the fields are just being planted with seedlings for summer. This is the time of year I go to the produce section of the grocery store and remember how difficult it is to tell what is in season and what isn’t. You can get just about anything from anywhere- some delicious seasonal produce and some that’s grainy and gross. CSA’s or shopping at local farmer’s markets are the solution to this problem!
As I write this and dream of the bountiful summer harvest of zucchini, tomatoes and basil for pesto. . . I know they are coming soon and well worth the wait. If you haven’t signed up for a Summer CSA share, now is the time to do so. Support your local farmers and get fresh, local, seasonal produce all summer and fall. To find CSA farms near you, go to: http://www.localharvest.org/csa/
As an Integrative RDN, I often get asked how to eat more veggies. 
The answer, sign up for a CSA. If your fridge is full of vegetables, you are MUCH more likely to find a way to eat them!
Zoodles with Pesto
Yield: 4 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 2-3 minutes
Ingredients:
1 medium or 2 small zucchinis
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup black olives, sliced
1/4 cup basil pesto
2 tablespoons pine nuts (for garnish)
salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
1. Wash zucchini and create noodles with your implement of choice- I love using my julienne peeler as seen in the photo. (A Spiral Vegetable Slicer
2. In a large fry pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Toss in zoodles, tomatoes, black olives and pesto and stir to combine. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until zoodles are crisp-tender. Add salt and pepper, to taste- amounts will depend largely on the pesto you are using.
3. Garnish with pine nuts. Serve hot. Or feel free to skip step 2 for a raw salad. Just toss all of the ingredients together in a bowl and serve.
4. Savor and enjoy!
