Pumpkin Seed & Pea Pasta Two Ways

Recipe and image courtesy of Lindsay Young, @eatyoungnutrition

Plant-based, ketogenic/ paleo friendly option, gluten-free option

Serves: 2

Herbed Pumpkin Seed Oil Sauce:

1 cup fresh cilantro
1/2 cup Flora Pumpkin Seed Oil
1/2 cup full fat coconut milk
1 clove of garlic
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp sea salt
Pepper to taste

Vegetables:

2 stalks celery, diced
8 Brussels sprouts, halved
1 cup snow peas
2 cloves garlic
Olive oil or water, for cooking

Pasta:

Choose between:
1 zucchini, spiralized
6 oz spelt udon noodles*

Garnish:

1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
Microgreens
Dollop of coconut milk or cream

Directions:

1. To prepare the Herbed Pumpkin Seed Oil sauce, add all ingredients to a high-speed blender or food processor and blend on high for 3-4 minutes, until the sauce is smooth. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Set aside for now.
2. Use one of the two options depending on your choice of “noodle”:
   1. If you’re preparing this dish using pasta, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat and add pasta. Let it cook as per the boxed instructions (mine took about 8 minutes). Drain and rinse.
   2. If you’re preparing this dish using zucchini as your noodles, toss noodles with 1-2 tbsp Herbed Pumpkin Seed Oil sauce into your vegetable skillet when they are just about done cooking (at the end of step three), and allow the heat of the skillet to wilt the zucchini noodles. Remove from heat and serve with raw pumpkin seeds, micro greens and a drizzle of more sauce.
3. Mince the garlic cloves into a heated skillet drizzled with olive oil or a bit of water, and let it cook until fragrant, without burning the garlic. Add the vegetables all at once, and cook on medium heat for about 5-6 minutes, tossing occasionally. The vegetables should still be crunchy once they’re cooked, but you’ll notice the shades of green magnifying as they cook. When the vegetables are just about done, drizzle 1-2 tbsp of Herbed Pumpkin Seed Oil Sauce and toss into the vegetables.
4. Toss the spelt noodles with 2 tbsp of Herbed Pumpkin Seed Oil Sauce and the cooked vegetables and serve with raw pumpkin seeds, micro greens and a drizzle of more sauce. Alternatively, serve chilled! This dish is really pleasant both warm and cold.

Recipe Notes:

1. For a gluten-free option, use brown rice pasta or zucchini noodles.
2. A ketogenic or paleo diet friendly version of this recipe is the lower carbohydrate option using zucchini noodles instead of pasta.