Do you get into lunchtime ruts, too? Actually I know you do because I get asked a lot what I eat for lunch, and most of the time my answers aren't super inspiring. But I've got an inspiring idea for you today, friends -- 5-Minute Cheesy Zucchetti Bowl and a review of a gorgeous cookbook.
I think lunchtime is hard because it interrupts the flow of the day. Or maybe just my day? Am I the only one who gets annoyed by lunch? I tell my husband all the time that I wished we, as humans, only needed to eat once, maybe twice a day.
Some people can get away with eating two large meals a day, but I've got a rather healthy appetite. Blessing/curse, yo.
And don't even get me started on lunches when all my kids happen to be home. #shortordercook
If I HAVE to eat lunch, I'm totally glad I have this book -- Nourishing Superfood Bowls by Lindsay Cotter. Have you been to Lindsay's blog, Cotter Crunch? Gorgeous, healthy stuff. I love Lindsay's fresh, approachable take on gluten-free recipes and her photos always dazzle me. And she really loves food puns. She's my people.
I'll talk about the zoodle bowl I made in a minute, but I want to tell you more about Lindsay's book.
Page after page of drool-worthy photos and colorful, creative bowls. Doesn't this Green Goddess Power Salad look amazing??
I see some fresh figs in there, too. Did I tell you I had fresh figs for the first time last year? (I know, where have I been?)
There's even a dessert chapter! This is the Creamy Chocolate Streusel Bowl. Yum.
All of Lindsay's recipes are gluten-free and most of them are dairy-free. I especially love how she includes options for all healthy eating options -- paleo/low-carb/vegetarian. There's something for everyone here!
I was super impressed by this quick little lunch bowl. It came from the Zippy Lunch Bowls chapter -- yes, a whole chapter for quick, creative lunches! The "cheese" sauce has a nutritional yeast base with a touch of tomato sauce and comes together super fast.
Grab a copy of Lindsay's book, Nourishing Superfood Bowls, and you might end up liking lunch again, too.
5-Minute Cheezy Zucchetti Bowl
Lunch doesn't need to be boring. Or time consuming. This 5-Minute Cheesy Zucchetti Bowl is a great way to eat zoodles and is paleo, low-carb, and vegan!
Ingredients
- 2 small zucchinis
- ⅓ cup nutritional yeast
- ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon minced garlic
- Sea salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- 2 Tablespoons tomato sauce
- 1 plum tomato, thinly sliced
- Pinch of Italian seasoning
- Fresh basil or parsley
- Crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 Tablespoon capers
Instructions
- Spiralize or thinly julienne-cut the zucchini. Place in a bowl and press with a paper towel to remove the excess water. Drain any excess water from the bowl.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the nutritional yeast, almond milk, olive oil, and garlic. Cook in the microwave for 30-45 seconds until warm. Remove and whisk the mixture until well combined. Add the salt, pepper, and tomato sauce, and whisk again.
- Toss the almond milk mixture with the zucchini noodles and add the sliced tomato. Add a sprinkle of Italian seasoning, basil, red pepper flakes and capers. Season with salt and pepper to taste, if desired.
Notes
Nat's Notes:
1. Lindsay suggests adding chickpeas, chicken or gluten-free sausage to add some protein.
2. I don't have a microwave in my kitchen, so I made the sauce in a small skillet on the stove.
3. I prefer warm zucchini noodles, so I tossed the whole thing into the skillet and warmed it up for a few minutes. If your zucchini is room temperature when you start, you probably don't need to do this.
4. I used a few quartered grape tomatoes and omitted the capers.
