Grilled Zucchini and Peppers on Pasta

I discovered Vegetarian magazine online about a year ago and it was love at first sight. I can be like that about magazines and cookbooks. Of course , this came along with a new found love for vegetables in the past four or five years.

Meals used to be a main with two sides, one being potatoes or pasta, the others meat or fish and a frozen veggie (usually overcooked and unappealing). So what happened?

I don't know. It has to do with blogging and seeing so many yummy looking recipes and wanted to recreate the look. Note, I did not say the taste. I was not so interested in the taste. I figured, I would force those veggies down. After a few recipes, I decided I liked some of those "green things" and made more and delved into new tastes.

I belonged to a group that was cooking through a book, Power Foods and we kept bumping into vegetables, either I didn't like or I had never had. Each time, I made the new dishes, I liked them. Now, I don't hesitate to make all kinds of vegetable combinations and try new tastes, across the board.

I used to think that zucchini was this tasteless blob so I didn't run to use it. Now, I see how zucchini can be made into a full flavored accompaniment with the right spices and other components. This dish turned out to be a winner. I grilled the veggies in a grill pan, I purchased, to grill in the house and I think they turned out pretty nicely.

Grilled Zucchini and Peppers on Pasta

Ingredients: 

6 large cloves garlic, peeled (hubby really gets sick from garlic - growl)

olive oil

8 ounces uncooked gluten-free spaghetti

¼ cup raw sunflower seeds, divided 

2 cups cherry tomatoes 

4 small zucchini, halved, then cut into thin slices lengthwise 

3 cups fresh basil leaves 

1 ounce grated Parmesan cheese 

Method:

Preheat grill pan to medium-high heat. Place garlic cloves on square of foil, drizzle with 1/8 tsp. oil, and wrap into flat package. Grill 20 minutes. Open packet to cool slightly.

Cook pasta according to package directions. 

Toast sunflower seeds in skillet 5 to 6 minutes over medium heat. Transfer to plate, and set aside. 

Brush tomatoes and zucchini with 2 tablespoons oil, and grill 6 minutes, or until tomatoes begin to shrink and zucchini is tender. 

Transfer garlic, basil, and 2 tablespoons toasted sunflower seeds to food processor, and blend until finely ground. 

Add 1 cup grilled zucchini, 11/2 tablespoons oil, and Parmesan; blend until smooth. 

Drain pasta, and toss with pesto, remaining zucchini, and tomatoes. 

Eat and enjoy.

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