The warm weather is here and I have such an urge to invite friends over and dine on my outdoor patio or anywhere al fresco. A simple and nourishing dish to bring are veggie noodles, a.k.a ‘voodles’.  You can certainly make them yourself with a spiralizer or pick them up ready to go – like I did here!

I am going to give a shout out to one of my favorite brands, CeCe’sVeggie Noodle Co. (fyi: this not a sponsored post.) For a mere 10 calories for about a 2 ounce serving, you can’t beat this low-calorie, vitamin C-rich, plant-based option for meals and side dishes.

All you have to do for this recipe is simply toss the zucchini spirals into a sauté pan with a drizzle of EVOO, salt and pepper.  In 3  to 4 minutes, they are cooked through.  After cooking, strain them in a colander before tossing them with other ingredients as they release a lot of water when heated.

The beauty of these veggie noodles is that they are a blank slate and you can add whatever flavors you want to make it sweet, savory or spicy.  I am going to give them a Mediterranean flare with Kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes, and chickpeas.  You can eat this dish hot or cold, which makes for a great al fresco, picnic meal!

Mediterranean Zucchini Spirals

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

10 ounces zucchini spirals

Dash of salt and black pepper

15 ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

1/4 cup Kalamata olives, coarsely chopped

For dressing:

3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 Tablespoon white balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon shallots, minced

Pinch of salt

Instructions:

In a saute pan over medium heat, add olive oil and tilt pan to coat the whole surface.  Add the zucchini spirals and dash with salt and pepper.  Cook for a few minutes, tossing with tongs every minute.  Remove it from heat when zucchini is heated through and soft, but not mushy.  Put then into a colander to drain excess water.

In a medium bowl, add the zucchini and top with chickpeas, tomatoes and olives.  Toss gently and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, mustard and shallots.  Drizzle the dressing on the zucchini mixture.  Gently toss together.  Serve immediately or put in the fridge to serve later.

Enjoy eating simply,

XOXO,

Vicki