Raw & vegan: zoodles (courgetti) with creamy avocado pesto

The last couple of weeks I’ve been detoxing, which means getting clean from the inside. I usually do a detox 1 to 2 times per year, preferably during Summer, but Autumn is fine too if it’s not too cold (I usually eat mostly fruit and vegetables, and it is always easier to have light dishes and lots of raw food in Summer!).
My lunch on this sunny day was a simple and surprisingly delicious “pasta” (a salad, actually) prepared using only raw vegetables. I liked it so much that I immediately made (and ate) a second portion. 🙂
You need a special cutter for zoodles/courgetti but if you don’t have it you can cut thin zucchini slices with a mandoline or a knife and then divide them further into spaghetti-like strands. Fast and easy! And great fun to prepare with the kids!
You can of course enrich this basic salad with a variety of other ingredients, for example a hard-boiled egg, some cashews, extra vegetables, tuna fish, you name it. I wanted to make a light vegan dish and that’s why I kept it simple and basic. It was super delicious anyway!

These quantities are perfect for 1 serving.

Serves 1

Ingredients:

SPAGHETTI:
1 small courgette (or 1/2 a big one)
1 handful of mini plum or cherry tomatoes
1 handful of flat-leaf parsley leaves

PESTO:
1/2 avocado
2 tablespoons of slivered almonds
juice of 1/2 lime
1 small clove of garlic, peeled
a few thyme sprigs
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3-4 tablespoons cold water
sea salt and black pepper

Cut the courgetti/zoodles with the special cutter or a knife and place in a bowl.

Cut the tomatoes in half and add them to the zoodles, along with the washed parsley leaves.

Make the pesto mixing all the ingredients with the blender or a mixer. I kept mine a little chunky.

Serve the zucchini noodles with the creamy pesto. Yum!