Disclaimer: Manitoba has provided me with a sample of their #hemphearts for this review+recipe. I was not compensated and all opinions are my own.
I am determined to eat my zucchini raw. I have eaten awful zucchini pasta dish after awful zucchini pasta dish, all in the name of beautifully defined biceps, glowing skin and mental clarity. Seriously…I feel amazing when I eat raw zucchini regularly.
The last time I felt successful about zucchini pasta was when I steamed it a bit in the skillet with my Paleo Zucchini Pasta with Mushrooms. But you know me. You know that if I think something is good for you, I will keep eating it until I find a way to make it taste as good as it is nutritious. I can’t help it, it’s in my DNA. I was determined to make my noodles raw. If you are interested in the nutritional difference between cooked/raw zucchini, check out this article.
When I made this dish for two and my friend tried it, she asked me if the noodles were soba noodles! That’s how little these noodles taste like raw zucchini once the sauce starts being absorbed. She also did a double take on the roasted vegetables since they were so “meaty.” My personal reaction on my first bite: Yassss! I did it. This ginger-balsamic flavor mingles the flavors beautifully with the hint of herbs from the fresh basil and sage. This is a mostly sweet dish with a hint of salty from the parmesan, avocado and seeds. Upon eating it, I really felt like it was missing that goat cheese type sour/salty flavor, but my friend thought it was great without it, so, I will leave it up to you.
As I told you in my last post on Simple Stuffed Pumpkin Manicotti, I made a trip to the lovely Underwood Farms for the Pumpkin Patch to get $2 sugar pumpkins. And I intend to use them! There is so much nutrition packed in this meal and lots of veggies to boot. If you are looking for ways to incorporate your pumpkins and pumpkin seeds in one recipe, you have to try this out!
Pumpkin seeds are quite amazing for nutrition, especially zinc. The mineral content in general is pretty insane! They have protein, manganese, zinc, magnesium and copper. Definitely worth having these in your fall diet. They are also known for prostate health, so make sure all the men in your life eat these regularly. The Huffington Post touts pumpkin seeds being great for energy and hemp seeds for toned muscles.
So of course I have to include hemp seeds in this recipe since I am super excited to find a way to use hemp seeds in something other than smoothie bowls and smoothies. Hemp seeds are crazy nutritious and worth the time to find ways to use them.
Why You Should Find Ways to Incorporate #Manitoba #HempHearts in Everything
- They taste great – Some people say hemp seeds taste like a sesame seed or pine nut. I love them in this Roasted Vegetable Zoodle Pasta recipe because they add that pesto texture I was trying to create.
- Easy to Use – Just sprinkle away! The sky is the limit. I like to pretend they are an ice cream topping for my friend’s kids when I make them “breakfast ice cream.” They love it!
- Nutritious – Hemp Hearts pack a whopping 10 grams of protein and 10 grams of omegas per 30 gram serving. Manitoba keeps them raw and completely vegan-friendly. In fact, the only thing they process at their hemp facility is hemp.
Ingredients
- 2 Spiralized zucchinis (or at least 1 medium zucchini per person eating)
- 1 chopped sugar pumpkin* (save the seeds to make salted pumpkin seeds)
- 2 chopped carrots
- 1 chopped golden beet (or whatever root veggies are in your fridge!)
- 1/2 chopped sweet onion (I use Vidalia onions)
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp oil (olive or avocado)
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp coconut sugar
- about 2-4 tbsp salt (to taste for pumpkin seeds)
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, packed in!
- 1 fresh sage leaf (if you have it, otherwise a dash of powder)
- 1/2 inch- ? of fresh ginger (no need to peel if you have a high speed blender)
- 1 date (optional, but it adds nutrients with the sweet)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (use the good stuff!)
- 1/2 tsp mustard powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup walnuts (add last & pulse)
- Salted Pumpkin Seeds (from the sugar pumpkin directions or store bought)
- Manitoba Hemp Hearts
- Chopped Walnuts
- Arugula
- Avocado chunks OR soft goat cheese if you aren't vegan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Prepare 2 baking sheets (I don't grease them since I add oil and toss the veggies in it)
- Chop up the pumpkin first and scoop out the seeds (unless you prefer prepared pepitas)
- Rinse the seeds in water, spread out on the baking sheet, put in the oven for 30 minutes (yes, nothing is on them yet)
- While that is cooking, finish chopping up your vegetables and put on the other baking sheet.
- Toss with oil and sugar, then drizzle about 2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar over the top
- Put in the oven with the seeds (I put my seeds on the top shelf and the veggies underneath).
- Once the timer goes off, add oil to the pumpkin seeds and toss. Then sprinkle salt to taste. Set the timer for another 30 minutes.
- Spiral your zucchini
- Once the timer goes off, take the pumpkin seeds out to cool (taste for desired salt level).
- Flip the vegetables and put the broiler on low. Put the vegetables in the broiler for 10 minutes or until caramelized.
- Throw all your dressing ingredients in the food processor or blender except for the walnuts. Blend until smooth, then pulse the walnuts in or chop the walnuts separately.
- In a salad bowl, mix the dressing with the zucchini noodles, then serve each plate with the noodles and hot roasted veggies.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
*You can replace the pumpkin with a different squash if you can't find a sugar pumpkin
Now for the #hemphearts giveaway!
One lucky winner will win a 2 oz/56g bag of hemp hearts from Manitoba to try with your next recipe.
The Rules:
- You must live in Canada or the United States
- You must have a physical address
- You must not have won a Hemp Hearts contest before to win.
If you don’t win or miss the deadline, use the promo code: HHSP1015 for 20% off Manitoba’s entire web store at www.manitobaharvest.com. Promo code expires December 31, 2015.
Good Luck!!
I make zoodles quite frequently, but I’m not nearly as creative as you with them. This dish looks like a feast! I love the bright colors and fresh flavors in your dish. I also enjoyed learning a little bit more about hemp hearts. It was great to find your blog through Gluten Free Fridays. I hope you have a fabulous weekend. 😀
Kaila (GF Life 24/7) recently posted…Gluten Free Cauldron Cupcakes for Halloween
I could not resist hopping by from Gluten Free Fridays to see your mouthwatering roasted vegetable zoodle pasta recipe and I was not disappointed! This recipe elevates zoodles to another level. I recently bought a vegetti spiral slicer so I can’t wait to try this. I’m pinning and sharing.
Deborah Davis recently posted…Share Good Food & Make New Friends at the Plant-Based Potluck Party Link Up #66
This dish is simply delicious and satisfying!!!!! It’s absolutely true, you cannot tell the pasta is made of zucchini; I gave some to my one-year-old, and he happily ate the zoodles.
I love zoodles. These looks amazing, Michaell! 🙂 Love how healthy the recipe is!
Sina @ Vegan Heaven recently posted…Vegan Cinnamon Rolls with Apples
I am a huge fan of all the things in this dish. I could eat zoodles all day! Love the addition of the hemp hearts!
Hemp hearts – my favorite! I put them in everything! I made sun dried tomato pesto last night and used hemp hearts as the Parmesan! I’m super excited to try this – I’m all about some zoodles – they make my belly happy and like you I feel amazing after eating them! The pumpkin is probably my favorite part of this – roasting it like the rest of it’s squash buddies in the oven – that’s what I’m talking about!
Sam @ PancakeWarriors recently posted…PW Fitness Launch Countdown
I would take one bite…… And then the willpower within me would be GONE and I would devour this without batting an eyelash! lol
Zoodles!!! I have been missing zoodles lately, I left my spiralizer at my parents house and haven’t had it for the past couple of months 🙁 I had no clue that the zucchini nutritional were so different raw vs cooked, I really want to get it back now!! This bowl looks like a flavorful feast, I love all the fall veggies <3
Natalie | Feasting on Fruit recently posted…Fruit Frosted Chocolate Layer Cake
I love your noodles and make them all the time. And I love roasting root vegetables, so this is perfect. The big surprise is discovering the “sugar pumpkin” at my local farmer’s market. Never knew about this smaller, sweeter version. I bought one and plan to roast it and its seeds this weekend.
Also, I signed up for your Manitoba hemp hearts contest. Funny, I just emailed them to ask if tasting their hemp hearts decreases nutrition over raw. They answered me and said yes–a little–but that if I regularly ate the TB of raw, it shouldn’t be a problem to toast for my homemade muesli. But I think from now on, I will add the raw each day to the muesli. Why not! Thanks for your guidance on all of these nutritious “bites.”
Marjorie Stradinger recently posted…Squirrels, cats, and life on the river
Love everything in this pasta recipe. Lovely presentation
Fareeha recently posted…Gobi Stir Fry Dry Recipe-Cauliflower Stir Fry-How to make gobi fry
Thanks so much Fareeha! It’s really good and very easily customized. I love recipes where you can truly make it your own/
Foodscape recently posted…Sweet and Savory Stuffed Acorn Squash with White Beans