Zucchini Noodles with Avocado Dressing

It’s easy and fun to turn zucchini into pasta (and I’ll tell you how in a moment), but first let’s talk about this amazing (raw and vegan) avocado dressing, a recipe that appears in the newly published Gluten-Free Recipes for the Conscious Cook by Leslie Cerier. This raw vegan dressing made with avocado, the first recipe I made from the book. It’s very summery and is meant to be made with garlic scapes, but garlic can easily be substituted. Leslie recommends it over salads, grains and pasta, but here I’ve used it over zucchini noodles.

It’s kind of amazing, but when you use a vegetable spiralizer tool, you can turn one large zucchini into a whole plate of strands that bear a striking resemblance to pasta! When topped with some of the avocado dressing, this makes an incredibly healthy and flavorful appetizer, snack or light meal.

If you don’t have a spiralizer, you can prepare the zucchini using the julienne blade of a mandoline (be careful!) or you can use a vegetable peeler to make thin strips (a spiralizer really makes it very easy, though…it’s an inexpensive tool I use all the time so I highly recommend you purchase one).

Avocado Dressing with Garlic Scapes (or Garlic)

Excerpted with permission by New Harbinger Publications

from Gluten-Free Recipes for the Conscious Cook by Leslie Cerier

Makes about 1 1/3 cups; more than enough to use over zucchini pasta for 2 people

Ingredients:

2/3 cup water

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup mashed avocado (I used 1 whole avocado)

3/4 cup fresh basil leaves (I used a mixture of basil and cilantro)

4 garlic scapes (or garlic cloves; if using regular garlic, I recommend starting with 2 cloves and adding more to taste)

3/4 teaspoon sea salt

Preparation:

1. Put all of the ingredients in a blender (or food processor) and process until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if desired.

2. To serve over zucchini pasta, spoon a few tablespoons over spiralized zucchini and mix well. Add more dressing and fresh ground pepper to taste.