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.


Linked to Real Food Recipe RoundUp     The Hearth and Soul Hop    Waste Not Want Not Wednesdays        Gluten-Free Wednesday     Fresh Foods Wednesdays       What's Cooking Wednesday     Wonderfully Creative Wednesdays       Thursday Favorite Things

Comments

  1. I didn't use to like zucchini either but now it is a staple vegetable in our house. Your Grilled Zucchini and Peppers on pasta look delicious, Chaya!

    ReplyDelete

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