zucchini pasta, kalamatas, sun dried tomatoes,basil and more

June 5, 2015 By in farm animals, Fresh and healthy, Gardening, Pasta, Raw Foods, Vegetables Tags: , , , , 46 Comments

Here’s another summer dish that’s fitting for dinner and a great one to take to a potluck… How many of you go to potlucks? It’s a regular thing here on Orcas Island. We don’t have a lot of entertainment.I think this zucchini pasta loaded with kalamatas, sun dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and red onion should peak the interest of the paleo and plant based eaters alike! And anyone in-between for that matter.

wendyellenthomas.comI got this handy dandy spiralizer that I’m sure I mentioned last summer. or did I?

zucchini pasta, kalamatas, sundried tomato and basilThis thing rocks. I’m watching my zucchini plants blossom and literally can’t wait to harvest the first few baby zuchs. I cherish this anticipation and basically block out what happens after about the 100th green or yellow fruit. That’s when the livestock start doing the squash dance. Here are summer squash plants-

garden 6-4-15-5

See those little yellow guys?

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I turned about 5 medium green and yellow fruits into ringlets.  It’s a good idea to salt your zucchini (about ½ tsp) and give it 20 minutes to sweat then strain it. Worst case you don’t, and you end up with some liquid to make dressing with. Chop up one can of drained artichoke hearts…

zucchini pasta, kalamatas, sundried tomato and basil-2

and about a half a jar of sun dried tomatoes packed in olive oil. Slice onions…

zucchini pasta, kalamatas, sundried tomato and basil-4

And chop/slice roughly ¾ of a cup of pitted kalamata olives. I try to get artichoke hearts, tomatoes and olives by the case as it almost makes them affordable when you buy in bulk. Any one of these ingredients crank up just about anything a couple notches.

Lastly, a handful of fresh basil leaves…

wendyellenthomas.comSimply toss it all together and dress with a ⅓ cup of olive oil, half a fresh lemon and a splash of white wine vinegar. Salt and pepper to taste-

Recipe:

  • 5 medium zuchinni spiralized, cut on a mandolin or try using a julienne peeler
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 drained can artichoke hearts chopped
  • ½ packed cup of sun dried tomatoes chopped
  • ½-¾ cup kalamata olives chopped
  • ¼-½ sliced medium red onion
  • ⅓ cup olive oil
  • juice of ½ lemon (throw a little zest in there too if you’d like)
  • splash of white wine vinegar
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • optional- 1 clove pressed garlic

This really doesn’t need a printed recipe, trust me- save the paper. Just have a go at it and plus or minus the ingredients you like. Make it your own.

Simple,fresh, healthy and full of flavor.

zucchini pasta, kalamatas, sundried tomato and basil-5And here is the farm in early June- the garlic is outrageous. I’m hoping the soil wasn’t too fertile. We’ve got some hefty stalks.

garden 6-4-15Ollie wanted potatoes this year… and potatoes he shall have. We gave up a lot of real estate for 4 ROWS! Usually I plant 2 sides of 1 row but this year decided to give them lots of room. German butterball, Yukon gold, Pontiac red, and 2 varieties of fingerlings

garden 6-4-15-6Greens are doing great, weeded and mulched…

garden 6-4-15-8But wanted to throw this in so you see all parts of the garden… kind of like me. You think you are looking at a bed of weeds and that’s partly true. But there are soon to be sweet strawberries in there. My theory was the birds won’t find the berries in all those weeds. Really this bed will be turned over this fall. It’s just too full of buttercup but due to lack of time I thought I’d try out my rationalized theory:)

garden 6-4-15-9See what’s hiding in there- don’t tell the birds

garden 6-4-15-10Here’s a couple favorite roses in the landscape. A little thorny tea rose…

garden 6-4-15-16I focus up on them to avoid looking down at the weeds that need attention… This massive wild rose is breathtaking every year.
garden 6-4-15-3

 

And the kids are growing…

garden 6-4-15-11 garden 6-4-15-2

oh this sweet face…

garden 6-4-15-13Have a lovely beginning of summer

46 responses

  2. Wow. Beautiful pasta dish. BEAUTIFUL garden! Beautiful kids. I love it all. So lush and healthy. (Orcas Island is one of my favorite places! Lived in Oregon for seven years, and traveled there just once. Such a special place.)

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  4. Fantastic dish. My mouth is watering. I love to add kalamatas and sundried tomato but I have not made a salad with zucchini noodles just hot dishes. I be this is delish. I have to try this recipe as soon as my zucchini are ripe.

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    • Thanks Connie. This would be a good one for your repertoire. It meets a lot of dietary needs and has a lot of flavor. And has zero margin of error! It lasted a couple days in the fridge for lunches.

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  6. Looks incredibly refreshing. I love zucchini pasta and I’m going to have to pick up delicious Mediterranean ingredients and put this together. I picked up a fabulous spiralizer too and I used it so much I couldn’t imagine putting it away; it sat on the counter for weeks! I keep thinking I see corn in your salad! 🙂 Beautiful photographs.

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    • Corn would be a great addition. I think it was the little phalic bits that come out of the center when you spiralize. Shall we make that a verb?
      I slice them up as well- and you’re right- looks like hominy!

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    • Thank you Mimi. The goat babies are so fun. I think we will have to give them away and it will be hard to say goodbye.
      This makes a good “pasta”. A little lighter so you can eat a lot of it!

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  12. What an idyllic life you life that I’m sure is filled with really hard work. I love your beautiful salad and everything about your garden and your farm babies.

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    • Thanks Maureen- it is a lot and usually every year about this time I think what are we doing- we need to downsize! But then I just try to stay positive and look at everything we get done and not everything that doesn’t get done- because in the end it doesn’t matter- it’s a beautiful life and I feel very grateful.

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  15. Hey Wendy .. I don’t know where to start. Your photos are just divine! As for that zucchini dish – I wish I had that recipe when mine were pumping out zuccs. Sounds delish. Your garden just looks amazing .. and very sneaky of you hiding those berries. I have a prob with rats … but let’s not go there LOL I just love the pictures of those goats .. Oh how I would love to have a couple. Wonderful post Miss! as always …

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  17. Pingback: CHEZ CHLOE : zucchini pasta, kalamatas, sun dried tomatoes,basil and more |

  18. I love your spiralizer! The one that I have you have to do it by hand and I get tired of it long before I have enough for a meal. This recipe looks fabulous and fresh – I’ll add it to my menu soon! Thanks for sharing!

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  19. Hello, Wendy
    Your cooking looks like it’s right up my alley… Fresh and green and from the pitchfork to the fork.
    As it happens, I have chanced upon three, 3!, blogs from the Pacific coast of America this evening and they look so good, I’m beginning to think I must start planning a visit. I just can’t decide whether to eat and drink my way from North to South or vice versa.
    Enjoy the summer!

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  24. This is the perfect meal. It rocks!
    My next Art Gown is for you, good eating, healthy living & Chez Chloé. I’d actually started it, but I got sidetracked by Cecil The Lion, but hey… well that’s me! I may do a post with a real model, but it is not an Art Gown … but an Art Gown post.
    Everything looks fab on Orca! How sweet it is!

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  27. Oh my gosh! Those kids are gorgeous!!! Such good photos too. Love everything about this post, from the stunning zucchini noodles to the garden update. I am definitely going to try this dish (I need to buy a spiralizer. I’m loving zucchini noodles but spending time with a peeler isn’t my favourite thing) x

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  28. I was just eyeing a spiralizer during one of my late night. half delirious sprees. I talked myself out of it (for once). This post just sealed the deal so thanks for justifying my purchase 🙂 I also love the idea of no-cook vegetables because more of the nutrients are preserved. This looks just delicious.

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  29. I made this salad tonight to go with some Jerk Chicken and it was delicious; a nice refreshing contrast to the heat of the marinade. My husband looked dubious about the salad when he saw me making it but he liked it so much he’s taking the leftovers for his lunch! I bought a spiralizer a few weeks ago so it was very exciting to use it again 🙂

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