All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2016
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
I started this blog on about July 5, 2012. On July 13, 2012, I posted one of my all-time favorite recipes. It is one I got from my good friend, Naomi Priestley. It is Zucchini & Mint Pasta with Parmesan (seen just above). But – it is such a divine dish – I thought I would post it again with a few new options. 1) It can be made without cheese altogether or 2) without cheese but with a squeeze of lemon juice or 3) with vegan Parmesan.
Do not be thrown by the idea of mint in a pasta dish – it is delicious! It is especially lovely when you use fresh, homemade pasta – but dry pasta is fine, too. If you do not consider oil and S&P to be legit ingredients – this is a 5 ingredient dish & comes together in less than 20 minutes.
I bought this ridiculous $5 micro basil because it looks pretty. It is tasty, too, but it is certainly an unnecessary indulgence.
Fresh Mint & Zucchini Pasta (Vegan or Vegetarian)
Serves 2
INGREDIENTS
1/2 lb pasta – cooked & drained
Olive oil
3-5 zucchini – either grated or spiralized or sliced (you can use as much zucchini as you like to mitigate the amount of pasta you eat or to, at least, lighten up the dish)
1-3 cloves garlic – chopped
1/4 cup fresh mint – chopped
S&P to taste
OPTIONS – Parmesan or vegan Parmesan (to taste) and or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Garnish: chopped mint and/or parsley and/or basil, more cheese, crushed red pepper
DIRECTIONS
Cook & drain the pasta.
I spiralized the zucchini but you can grate or slice it. Spiralizing is a good way to bury veggies in a spaghetti dish so your kids do not notice the veggies in there. I sliced the ends that were too short to spiralize.
Heat a glug or two of olive oil in a large saute pan. Saute the garlic for about 30 seconds & then add the zucchini. Saute a few minutes & then add mint and season with S&P. When the zucchini is soft – add the pasta & combine. Add cheese or vegan cheese here – if you are using it – or squeeze in some lemon – if you are going that route. Plate & serve with cheese and/or chopped herbs (mint or basil or parsley).
