Perfecting Zucchini Noodles

Numerous people have asked me how to make zucchini noodles without the noodles getting soggy and mushy... well this week, I'm going to share a super easy recipe and tips to keep them noodle-y :).
Loaded with fiber, protein, and vitamins, zucchini noodles are a perfect substitute when you have serious heavy pasta cravings! Note - You will need a spiralizer for this recipe (small hand held will work!).

Tip #1 - Most likely, your noodles are getting soggy due from cooking them for too long. As the vegetable is heated, the water content is released, causing the mushy and soggy consistency. I throw my zoodles in a sauce pan or skillet for no more than 1-2 minutes on low-medium heat. This gives them a bit of warmth, but they should remain firm in texture
Tip #2 - Avoid peeling the zucchini. Once you peel the vegetable, the flesh is exposed and moisture will be released, causing sogginess
Tip #3 - Do not pre-salt your noodles or salt them while they are briefly cooking. Pre-salting not only is time consuming and unnecessary, but it also can diminish the healthy benefits of the zucchini. Salting during cooking will immediately release the water content from the zucchini.
Tip #4 - Spiralize ahead of time, maybe during your weekend meal prep. As this is the more time consuming part of the process, taking care of this ahead of time will make this recipe and any zoodle recipe extremely quick and easy!

Zoodle Pesto Pasta

Ingredients
Servings: Makes 2-3 bowls
Total Tiime: 25-30 minutes
• 2 large zucchinis (make sure they are firm when you buy them, this will help maintain a crunchy texture)
• 1 garlic clove (minced)
• 1/2 red onion (sliced)
• 1 bunch broccoli (chopped)
• 1 handful asparagus (chopped)
• 3/4 cup frozen peas (thawed)
• 1 TBSP avocado oil (or cooking oil of choice)
Avocado Pesto:
• 1/2 Avocado
• 1 TBSP Olive Oil
• 1 cup raw spinach (chopped)
• 1 garlic clove (minced)
• Sea Salt (I use pink himalayan sea salt)
Directions:
1) Spiralize your raw zucchinis into a large bowl and set aside.
2) Heat Avocado Oil on medium heat in large skillet. Add garlic & onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes or until lightly browned. Add in asparagus, broccoli, and asparagus and cook for 5-7 minutes or until veggies are cooked through but still crunchy in texture.
3) Meanwhile - add all ingredients for the pesto into a food processor or blender (I use my Ninja blender and it works perfectly). Blend until creamy. Add salt/pepper as necessary
4) Once the veggies are cooked, add the zoodles into the skillet, reduce heat to low-medium and stir for 1-2 minutes.
5) Transfer to a large bowl and add the pesto and toss until well blended! Season as needed.