Things I Eat: Zuke Noodle Fettuccini

Seriously - who doesn't love avocado? Other than my aunt. And my coworker who is allergic. And. . .you know, a healthy amount of people.

I, however, love me some 'cado! Or, as I learned from Call the Midwife - alligator pears! Come on - that's such a cooler sounding thing. Alligator pears. It's like shark tomato or narwhal peaches  or. . . unicorn corn. .?

Avocado is a strangely versatile. .fruit or large berry, depending on how you want to make conversations awkward at your next cocktail party. Check out what the Wiki says:

The avocado (Persea americana) is a tree native to Mexico and Central America, classified in the flowering plant family Lauraceae along with cinnamon, camphor and bay laurel. Avocado or alligator pear also refers to the fruit, botanically a large berry that contains a single seed.

So, it's a large berry? The study of botanicals is fascinating!

What I Love
I love the richness and fattiness of avocado - fat and rich, is anything better? No. You need fat. Your body wants fat. Don't listen to people tell you otherwise.

I like how it is generally low in sugar and high in fiber. It's also a little powerhouse of vitamin C and vitamin B-6. It is also a very mild flavor so it blends well into smoothies or puddings. And margaritas.

Sure, I take supplements because of my whacked out life but when I can get good minerals and vitamins in me in the way God intended, I'm all for that.

Most people love guacamole and don't realize it's avocado.

Anyhow, add sweet to or salty or spicy to you 'cado and be happy!

I actually have found many uses for it. One of my favorites is . .well - sometimes an avocado with some sea salt is my lunch. It is sometimes the best thing I got going for me in the day.

Mm. 'Cado.

As someone who often misses out on "creamy" things because I can't have diary, egg, soy. . .fun. . .I found the avocado a great and healthy replacement. A lot of times, finding things I can eat involve a lot of weird chemicals and altered food. I like to avoid that. A lot.

Ok, let's get down to brass tacks and let's get some healthy junk in you with this creamy, dreamy pasta! Don't tell anyone - it's actually vegan. You can really use anything with the zuke noodles - they are a wonderful substitute for grain based noodles. What's a zuke noodle? A peeled zucchini - I'm lazy, I'm not going to say three syllables when I can say one.

What You Need

• 1 avocado (ripe)
• 1 zucchini (or zuke, as I call them)
• Olive oil
• Garlic powder
• Basil
• Sun-dried tomatoes
• Salt
• Optional: Red pepper flakes, tree nuts, tomato paste - dance moves.

What You Do
Wash the zuke (OMG, so dirty!) and use a vegetable peeler to peel it into strips. You can get some fancy things like a spiral veggie cutter or mandolin to make different texture of noodles. I like the fettuccine or pad thigh type noodles, so, a normal peeler works fine for me.

Sometimes I leave the "core" part which is where the seeds are and mostly all the water aside. Other times, I just peel the whole thing. It's all good and the added liquid helps blend everything.

I'm not going to tell you how to live.

Once you are done with peeling, just lay the peeled zuke noodles aside to dry a little, if you desire. Zuke doesn't really absorb flavors so, I let it be.

In another bowl, smash up your avocado and add your olive oil (helps turn it more creamy but not too much as you might need more later as you mix), garlic and salt - to taste. And anything else you might like - red pepper flakes for spice or basil. You could even add some tomato paste for extra amazing flavor.

I encourage flavor exploration. Maybe try a delicious flavored oil? Mmm.

Mix the zuke noodles (gently) with your avocado mixture. I normally add a little more flavored or straight up olive oil here to help.Add in your sun-dried tomato or other toppings as you see fit.

Toss some extra touches for your face-shoving pleasure and consume! I topped mine with some dried basil.

I promise I will get better at making things look appetizing - this dish can be a little on the bland side when it comes to color. Other than the nice strip of rich green from the zuke you can just do a Google search for "zucchini noodles" to find some other great (and artistic) recipes.

UPDATE! I did get better at it - here is another version of the same concept - zuke noodles and rice noodles together with garlic roasted grape tomatoes, fresh basil and pine nuts.

Other people who do it better (and in different styles) include:

Sarah Yates with her Zucchini Noodles with Pesto and Roasted Tomatoes

Janet M with her 5-Minute Zippy Garlic-Basil Marinara with Zucchini Noodles

Mary Miller with her Raw Zucchini Noodle “Pad Thai”

And, yes, everyone on the Internet takes better pictures of food and arranges it more artfully. I'm just a girl with a weird diet and a heart full of sloth!

And a bowl full of zuke fettuccini!