Go fresh this summer with a bowl of zucchini noodles coated in creamy avocado sauce, and topped with almonds, tart cherries and shaved parmigiano reggiano. This veggie meal is refreshing and satisfying, no heat required. Thanks to the Cherry Marketing Institute for sponsoring this post.
Summer is here, and it’s heating up all over the country. Florida temps have been in the mid to upper 90s lately. Timing would have it that I’m starting to get back into the swing of running and training for my first half marathon post-baby. I haven’t signed up for a race yet, but it’s looking like sometime November- early December time frame.
To beat the heat, I’m heading out early in the morning. I’ve started training with girlfriends on Saturday mornings that love coffee as much as I do, so that’s part of my motivation for getting out of the house. Running is becoming “me time” again. It’s that time that I’ve carved out for myself where I can just chat with girls and then drink iced coffee afterwards, without a squirmy baby trying to grab my straw. Eric stays home with the boy and he gets special Parker time, just the two of them. We’re all winning.
The last thing I want to do after a sweaty workout is heat up the kitchen. Thank goodness, no heat is required for this delicious bowl full of zoodles coated in creamy avocado sauce.
This bowl highlights some of the season’s finest—fresh zucchini and sweet basil. I love how refreshing and light this meal feels, and the healthy fats and tart cherries make it super satisfying.
While this one is all veggie, my carnivorous self is kinda craving some juicy grilled chicken atop the mountain of creamy avocado zoodles. Oodles of zoodles, and juicy protein, and healthy fats, and antioxidants = recovery essentials in every bite.
Montmorency tart cherries provide a sweet contrast and pack a powerful recovery punch thanks to their deep red color rich in anthocyanins. Those little red beauties also contain melatonin which promotes better sleep.
To celebrate “real food” recovery with tart cherries, we are giving away a copy of Rocket Fuel, Power-Packed Food for Sports and Adventure by Matthew Kadey, RD. The book is filled with performance nutrition strategies and mouthwatering recipes for before, during, and after training. I love his “real food” approach to sports nutrition, especially for foods DURING exercise, like Millet Cherry Bars, Enduro Balls, and Carrot Cake Cookies.
Hop on over to my Instagram @KristinaLaRueRD to enter the giveaway, you don’t want to miss out on this one!
Zucchini Noodles with Creamy Avocado Sauce
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 15 mins
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
Go fresh this summer with a bowl of zucchini noodles coated in creamy avocado sauce, and topped with almonds, tart cherries and shaved parmigiano reggiano. This veggie meal is refreshing and satisfying, no heat required.
Ingredients
- INGREDIENTS
- 2 zucchini, room temperature
- 1–2 cloves garlic
- 1 cup packed spinach
- ¼ cup packed basil leaves
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- ¼ cup dried tart cherries
- 2 tablespoons shaved parmigiano reggiano
Instructions
- Using a spirilizer, trim the ends of the zucchini and spirilize to make zucchini noodles.
- In bowl of a food processor with puree blade attachment, add garlic, spinach and basil and pulse until minced.
- Add avocado, lemon juice, and water and process until smooth and creamy. Depending on size of avocado, add additional water to thin sauce to desired consistency.
- Toss creamy avocado sauce with raw zucchini noodles and top with almonds, tart cherries, and shaved parmigiano reggiano.
Hi I’m Kristina LaRue, RD (registered dietitian nutritionist), Peloton addict and mama to two active and hungry boys. On Love & Zest, you’ll find healthy-ish recipes that fuel the whole family. I’m all about veggie-filled breakfast, meal prep recipes, healthier sweets, and easy weeknight dinners made in the Instant Pot or sheet pan.
Did you make one of my recipes?? Leave a review in the comments and tag @loveandzest #loveandzest on Instagram!
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How do you make the zucchini noodles?
★★★★★
I used a spirilizer. Here’s a link to my favorite one: http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/4769345/
Wow, This is an awesome recipe. I will be making it this weekend. This just looks so light and refreshing.
thanks!! I hope you enjoy it.
That is the kind of recipes I love. Easy to make. Still, efficient and delicious! I ‘m starting having “me time” too by going to ballet lessons. I guess this “me time” makes us better mums at the end of the day. 😉 Nice blog. I am discovering it because I was looking for some high-protein breakfast recipes on Fitness Magazine.
Thanks for stopping by my blog!! Me time is so challenging to get in but it’s oh so needed.