Lemon Zucchini Pasta

I am finally at a point where I can really come back to my hobbies and side projects. There are times in my life, and I'm sure in yours, when I have to evaluate what I need to do, what's really vital, and make decisions accordingly. Even though I love doing this blog it's just a passion project, and when sh!t got real, it had to go on the back burner.

But now life is fairly calm again. I'm in a good place with school, I've got a good handle on work, and I have a backlog of recipes I want to make. Another thing I'm doing is running. I've talked before about how Paul is a runner and I am not, though I'm sure it would do me some good. I also made delicious breakfast cookies when I talked about that... After being sick in early March and laying on a couch for almost two weeks, I decided I needed to get moving. I started a couch to 5K program on the RunKeeper app on my phone. Paul suggested that instead of just trying to become a runner I should sign up for a race to work for. So I did!

I'm going to be doing the Graffiti Run in Camden, NJ on May 18th. I've got a small team running under "New to the Table." You can sign up and join us! My friend Ellen is running with me and had the all-too-right suggestion that I should start posting some running-friendly recipes. So Ellen, this one is for you!

I absolutely love this recipe. I've been making it for a while now but only in the spring and summer. The zippy lemon mixed with tart yogurt and a bite of pepper begs to be devoured on a warm evening with a glass of white wine. To get fun strips of zucchini I used a sprializer. It's a fun toy I bought at Williams-Sonoma that makes all kinds of food into fun shapes. (Hello curly fries!) Until I had this toy I would use a  vegetable peeler to make long strips of zucchini and that works perfectly for this recipe. I also tried that fun kitchen hack or putting cherry tomatoes between two tupperware lids and slicing them in one go and it worked brilliantly!

Lemon Zucchini Pasta

adapted from Ezra Pound Cake

4 Servings

Ingredients

• 8 oz. whole wheat linguine (or your favorite pasta)
• 1/2 cup nonfat plain greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• zest of 1 medium lemon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 medium zucchini cut into thin strips
• 2 garlic cloves, minced or sliced thin
• 1/2 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved lengthwise

Cook pasta according to package directions and reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Drain pasta and set aside.

In a large bowl stir together yogurt, parmesan cheese, lemon zest, salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a large skillet and add zucchini. Cook, tossing in oil, until zucchini becomes slightly transparent and soft. Move zucchini to the side of the pan and add garlic, cooking about 30 seconds until golden and fragrant, then stir into the zucchini. Add tomatoes and cook until tomatoes are tender, about another 2 minutes.

Add zucchini mixture to yogurt and toss well. Add linguine and toss again. If needed, add reserved cooking water one tablespoon at a time. If the sauce is too thin just the pasta stand few minutes and the sauce will thicken.

Top with a small sprinkle of extra cheese and a pinch of pepper before serving.

I hope you love this recipe as much as I do. It might be a featured dish at the team dinner I'll be having soon! Until next time...