Because of what we have learned about grains and how they should be prepared, we have been trying to limit our consumption of them, especially processed grains from the store like crackers, cereal and pasta. There are still so many things that are great with pasta though… spaghetti, chicken parmesan, lasagna, chicken picatta…. So what is an italian food lover to do?

Well, we have found a fun substitute that not only tastes great, looks like pasta but knocks out one more of your 5-a-day!

Zucchini.

I admit, it is not a noodle. You can’t make mac and cheese with it (though I may try soon). If you are an avid pasta eater, it may take some getting used to. But I love it and think you should at least give it a try.

Here is how I make it:

Wash zucchini and cut off the tops and bottoms

Then I use a mandolin (you could cut them up with a knife, but who has that kind of time?) to slice them into noodle size.

I put them in a colander and sprinkle salt all over so that all the water comes out. You will be amazed after an hour or so at the puddle underneath and much less zucchini you have.

Then I squeeze them out in a towel to get the last bit of moisture out. This isn’t completely necessary but helps them fry up in the pan a lot better.

Then I melt butter in a pan and throw in the noodles, tossing them until they all seem done. You could do this in smaller batches with more butter if you want them to brown a bit. It only takes a few minutes, depending on how you like it.

Then enjoy with any of your favorite italian dishes!

Zucchini Noodles

Ingredients:

2-4 lbs zucchini (about a pound per person)
2 T butter
salt and pepper

How To:

1. Slice the zucchini in long thin strips. I used a mandolin, but this is definitely do-able with a knife.

2. Put zucchini in a colander, add salt and let sit for an hour, so that the water will drain out.

3. Transfer zucchini to a towel and squeeze out remaining moisture.

4. Heat butter in a large skillet. Add zucchini and saute until tender. I like it a little browned so I let it go a little longer over high heat.

Serve with one of these:

Chicken Picatta

Chicken Parmesan

Spaghetti