Zucchini Noodles with Pesto Sauce

Cuisine: Italian

Serves: 3

Ingredients for Noodles

• 3 medium to large zucchini (or one per person), washed, ends trimmed, skin on, and spiraled (use a spiralizer or food processor)
• 1 Teaspoon Avacado or Oil Oil
• Fresh Cherry Tomatoes halved (yellow and red can be combined) or use Vine Ripe Tomatoes pitted and juice squeezed out.

Ingredients for Pesto Sauce

• 1 large, ripe avocado pitted and cut into 8 pieces
• 2 cups fresh whole basil leaves
• 1/3 cup whole raw pine nuts (Walnuts or Almonds can be used as substitutes)
• 1 teaspoon zest plus juice of 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (or cayenne pepper if you prefer)

 Preparation of Pesto Sauce:

• Toast the pine nuts in a small saute pan over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes until fragrant.
• Allow the pine nuts to cool before adding them to the food processor. Add the cooled pine nuts and rest of the pesto ingredients except the olive oil to the food processor and pulse until all of the ingredients are finely chopped and incorporated (about 10-15 pulses).
• Turn the food processor on and stream in the olive oil, blending until combined (about 30 seconds total). Pesto sauce is now ready to use!

 Preparation of Zucchini Noodles: