Zucchini with Pecan Herb Pesto

Sounds fancy, right?!?! Don’t shy away from this recipe!

It’s a common scenario in my office that patients don’t like to cook. They either don’t know how, or they just don’t like it. I show them this website and try to encourage them with recipes that are simple and easy. The second they see something like “tomatillo” or “poblano” or “pesto” they think I’m crazy.

But fancy words do not instantly mean it’s a complex or advanced level of cooking. And pesto is a great example. Tons of flavor for very little work. And if you don’t consider yourself a cook….this is a GREAT way to build your confidence 🙂

For Bariatric Surgery Patients…this recipe is a side dish and must be paired with a  protein. Be sure to serve with baked chicken or seasoned tilapia. Something that will serve as your main protein source at your meal. Even adding ground chicken and mixing it in will help!

Tools needed: something to make zucchini noodles. For some it’s a spiralizer and for others it’s a serrated peeler.

Zucchini with Pecan Herb Pesto

Course: Vegetables

Cuisine: Italian, No Cook

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 142kcal

Author: Steph Wagner

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Ingredients

• 1/2 cup pecans
• 2 large Zucchini Squash
• 1 lemon, zested
• 1 1/2 cups fresh basil
• 1 cup fresh Italian parsley
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• water as needed

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350F. Scatter the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and toast until fragrant, about 7 minutes. Let cool.
• Meanwhile, create the zucchini noodles. Several different kitchen tools are available for this but can also use a vegetable peeler.
• Place the pecans in a food processor and add lemon zest, basil, parsley and garlic. Pulse until chunky. Scrape the mixture off the sides and add a bit of oil. Pulse again. Add water as needed to thin it out a bit until it seems more smooth.
• Place zucchini noodles in a covered, microwave safe bowl and microwave about 4 minutes to get soft. Stir in the pesto and serve with meat entree.

Notes

*Pair this side dish with a lean protein source entree.

*Serving sizes on the recipes are not necessarily "bariatric sized" portions but are "traditional" portion sizes.

Nutrition

Serving: 2oz | Calories: 142kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 22mg | Potassium: 587mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2069IU | Vitamin C: 53mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 2mg