Love eating pasta, but hate that guilty feeling you get afterwards? Well, first, as an early Thanksgiving present- did you know you can make pasta from things like Spaghetti Squash (go figure) and Zucchini? And what better way to dress up your new healthy secret weapon, and celebrate the beautiful flavors of fall, than with a spiced, cinnamon-y pumpkin sauce? This recipe is so simple, your friends will be begging you to make it every day.
Prep Time: 5-10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: Roughly 20 minutes
Servings: 1
Ingredients:
1 medium zucchini
½ cup almond milk, unsweetened
½ can pumpkin puree
Salt and pepper, to taste
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Parmesan cheese, to taste
Directions:
Photo by Jacky Falkenberg
For the zucchini:
1. Cut off the ends of the zucchini and peel the rest into long, thin strips.
2. Lay a single layer of the strips onto a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt.
3. Place a piece of parchment paper on top of the zucchini and repeat steps 2 and 3 until the zucchini is fully layered on the baking sheet.
4. Place baking sheet in the refrigerator while you prepare the sauce.
Photo by Jacky Falkenberg
For the pumpkin sauce:
1. In a medium bowl, mix the pumpkin puree and almond milk until its consistency is runny.
2. Add the salt and pepper to taste.
3. Transfer to a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer on medium-low heat.
4. Once the sauce has reduced for a bit (roughly 3-5 minutes), add the cinnamon.
To finish:
1. Remove the zucchini strips from the fridge and place into the saucepan with the pumpkin sauce.
2. Stir slowly for 5 minutes until zucchini starts to color.
3. Remove the zucchini from the saucepan then pour the remaining sauce on top.
4. Serve with Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top, and enjoy! (I used vegan Parmesan cheese)
Note: If you let your sauce reduce too long or the heat is too high, add a bit of almond milk, and it will return to a pasta sauce-like consistency.
P.S. Still have extra Zucchini? Try making some chips, nachos, fritters, or even pancakes. I know, I know, it’s quite the overachieving vegetable.