Raw Zucchini Noodles

This is a raw food recipe, which simply means food that is uncooked or not heated above 115 degrees Fahrenheit, and is often organic. Raw food is said to have more nutrients and enzymes than cooked food, which is why some promote eating mostly raw food. The Hallelujah Diet, for example, encouraged a menu of 85% uncooked plant-based food and 15% cooked plant-based food. Many spices and seasonings are not raw, so you can either exclude the ones you can’t find, or use ones that are not raw and accept that what you’ll have is a nearly raw food recipe.

Ingredients:

• 4 medium Zucchini
• 1 large carrot, spiralized or grated (optional)
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 3 tablespoons red onion, diced
• 1 celery stalk, sliced thin
• 1 apple, peeled, cored, and diced (optional)
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 tablespoons fresh oregano or basil, chopped, or 1 teaspoon dry
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons Raw Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 tablespoons Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar
• 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard
• Dash of cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon finely ground Himalayan salt, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste

Directions:

1. Turn the zucchini into thin noodles* using a Spiralizer, Mandoline Slicer, or by hand with a Chef’s Knife. The noodles pictured above were made using a Spiralizer. Place the noodles in a large bowl.
2. Mix in the carrot, if using, bell pepper, onion, celery, apple, if using, cilantro, and oregano or basil.
3. In a small bowl, mix the remaining ingredients to make a dressing. Pour the dressing over noodles and toss to coat. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or more to let the flavors meld, then serve!

Variations:

1. Exclude all the ingredients except for the zucchini noodles, olive oil, salt, and pepper, and mix in 2 chopped tomatoes, 1 chopped green onion, 1/4 cup drained kalamata olives, and 1 tablespoon drained capers.
2. Exclude all the ingredients except for the zucchini noodles and add a Pesto sauce. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Eating Raw by Mark Reinfeld, Bo Rinaldi, and Jennifer Murray has a tasty pesto sauce that’s – you guessed it – raw! You can also try our Basil Pesto, only ours isn’t raw because we toast the pine nuts.

Yield:
Makes 4 to 6 servings.

* You can turn certain vegetables into thin noodles using a spiralizer, mandoline slicer, or by hand with a chef’s knife. A Spiralizer produces noodles that look like spaghetti, where a mandoline slicer or chef’s knife cuts noodles into ribbons that resemble fettuccine. Zucchini, butternut squash, sweet potato, beet, and carrot are popular vegetables used to make vegetable noodles.

P R I N T