Summer Chopped Veggie Orzo with Parmesan

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Elote is this amazing Mexican delicacy that’s commonly served by street vendors, but it has made its way into gourmet restaurants all around the world because it’s so exceptional.

Elote is Mexican street corn, where the corn is slathered in mayonnaise, chili powder, lime juice, and grilled to perfection and dusted generously with Mexican cheese (like a crumbly cotija) and chopped cilantro, served on a skewer to be enjoyed, well, on the street!

It’s pretty outstanding, and I’m taking a similar idea, using fire roasted corn and a dairy-free creamy avocado-lime sauce to sneak in some healthy fats and creaminess, while not sacrificing on flavor.

Here’s the trick to this recipe: if you want this pasta to feed a larger crowd, you can easily use a full pound of pasta, but there will be less corn. It’s total preference, and I wanted to give you the option – it will still be creamy and flavorful!

And of course, this is best served with a grilled steak, chicken, or even some shrimp skewers. It’s perfect as is, but also works as a side. Make it your own!

Watch our video for this recipe and subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch more videos:

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Creamy Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound bowtie pasta (farfalle)
• 1 large avocado ripe
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tsp lime zest
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp avocado oil
• 1 pound bag frozen fire roasted corn
• 1 can 15.5-ounce black beans drained & rinsed
• 1/2 cup cotija cheese crumbled (or feta)
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves minced

Instructions

• Bring a large pot filled halfway with water to a boil. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook according to the package directions. Drain into a colander.
• Meanwhile, in a food processor or small high-speed blender, add the avocado, lime juice and zest, chili powder, and add ¼ cup of water and process until creamy, adding more water if the sauce is too thick.
• While pasta is still cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.Once oil is shimmering, add the corn and cook until heated through, about 5minutes. Add the black beans and stir for 1 minute or until heated through. Add the mixture to a large mixing bowl along with the cooked pasta, half the cheese, the dressing, and toss to combine well. Transfer to a pasta serving bowl and sprinkle with cilantro and remaining cheese. Serve.

The post Creamy Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad appeared first on Inspiralized.

The other day, I was craving taco pasta salad, but all of the recipes I found online required a separate creamy dressing to be made and I didn’t have the ingredients, time, and frankly, I wanted something simpler.

I love when recipe ideas come from a basic, “I’m craving this, let’s make it!” situation and that is exactly what happened here. Now, I have a creamy taco pasta salad that’s made in one pot, cooked in under 30 minutes, and doesn’t require a separate dressing.

The key? Pasta water, cheese, and taco seasoning! Those three together yield a creamy “dressing” that coats the pasta (I love bowties here, because there’s more surface area for the flavorful sauce to cling to.)

And no, this isn’t like a mac and cheese, it truly tastes like there is a taco dressing stirred into the pasta. The crunchy romaine lettuce (don’t knock it until you try it!) adds a refreshing crunch that’s super tasty and bridges salad and pasta together for a pasta salad.

Although this recipe is vegetarian, you could easily stir some shredded rotisserie chicken in here for the meat eaters or even some shrimp. It can be a side dish at a barbecue or a stand alone meal like I enjoyed it.

However you enjoy this pasta salad, you’ll love this creamy hack!

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One Pot Creamy Taco Pasta Salad

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pound dry bowtie pasta rotini would work well too
• 2 avocadoes
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro will prompt you to prep in the recipe
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes will prompt you to prep in the recipe
• 2 cups chopped romaine lettuce will prompt you to prep in the recipe
• 1 15oz can corn kernels
• 1 15oz can black beans
• 1.5 tablespoons taco seasoning
• 1 cup shredded Mexican cheeses or just cheddar will work

Instructions

• In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. While pasta cooks, peel, pit and chop the avocadoes into small cubes. Halve the cherry tomatoes per the ingredient list. Chop cilantro to yield ¼ cup. Chop the romaine lettuce to yield 2 cups.
• Drain the pasta into a colander, reserving ½ cup of pasta water (very important – don’t forget this step!) Add the pasta back into the large pot and stir in the corn, black beans, tomatoes, avocado. Add the taco seasoning and cheese and stir to combine. Immediately start to slowly pour in the pasta water, stirring as you pour until cheese melts and a creamy sauce is made (you may or may not use all the pasta water.)
• Stir in the romaine until combined, garnish with cilantro and serve warm.

The post One Pot Creamy Taco Pasta Salad appeared first on Inspiralized.

Watch our video to learn how to spiralize a zucchini using the Inspiralizer and subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch more videos:

Nutritional Information & Recipe

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Zucchini Noodle Cobb Salad

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 small shallot minced
• ¼ freshly chopped chives
• salt and pepper
• 2 medium zucchinis spiralized into thin noodles (or julienned)
• 4 ounces blue cheese crumbled or other – goat cheese or feta is nice, too!
• 2 cups cubed cooked chicken
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
• 2 medium ripe avocadoes peeled pitted, thinly sliced
• 4 slices of bacon or more!
• 4 hard boiled eggs sliced into rounds or chopped (your preference)

Instructions

• In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, mustard, honey, shallot, half of the chives, and season with salt and pepper. Add in the zucchini noodles and toss again. Set aside.
• Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add in the bacon. Cook until crisp and transfer to a paper towel lined plate, about 7 minutes.
• Give the zucchini noodles and cheese a good toss and divide evenly among four bowls. Top with chicken, tomatoes, avocado, bacon (crumble or break up into pieces first), eggs, and cheese. Drizzle with any remaining dressing, extra freshly cracked black pepper, and garnish with remaining chives.

The post Zucchini Noodle Cobb Salad appeared first on Inspiralized.

Summer is just around the corner, which means we’ll all need some easy cold pasta salad recipes, right? Pasta salads are the easiest dishes to bring to BBQs or put out when entertaining guests. They pair well with grilled meats, seafoods, and veggies! And now, they’re a tasty way to squeeze in more vegetables into your day! Or, if you’re gluten-free, a tasty way to still enjoy a pasta salad!

By slicing the zucchinis halfway through lengthwise before spiralizing, you can spiralize your veggie into macaroni shaped slices, perfect for pasta salads!

I love creamy avocado dressings, because they’re not only a dairy-free way to enjoy creamy dressings, but they’re packed with healthy fats and have a beautiful green color. I make them all summer long. However, they don’t save well (because of oxidization, the zucchini browns very quickly!), so if you’re making this salad in advance for meal prep or for a party, assemble the dressing as the last step and toss right before serving for best results!

Having said that, because there’s lime juice in this dressing, it does save well in the refrigerator for 1 day without browning (in my experience), so you can definitely prep it in advance for a big party or bring leftovers to lunch the next day.

Black beans give this salad a protein kick, but serve this up with your favorite protein as a main dish or enjoy it as a lunch salad! It can be a side dish or a main course, depending on how you serve it.

Watch our video to learn how to spiralize a zucchini using the Inspiralizer and subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch more videos:

Nutritional Information & Recipe

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Southwestern Avocado Zucchini Pasta Salad

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

• ¼ cup olive oil
• juice from 2 limes
• 1 ripe avocado peeled, pitted, and halved
• ¼ cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
• salt and pepper
• 1 15.5 oz can black beans rinsed and drained
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
• 1 cup fresh corn kernels or frozen, thawed
• 4 scallions thinly sliced
• 2 medium zucchinis
• 1 large jalapeno thinly sliced

Instructions

• In a food processor, blend together the olive oil, lime juice, ½ of the avocado, cilantro, salt, pepper and ¼ cup of water until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Taste and adjust with more salt, if needed.
• Transfer the avocado dressing to the bottom of a large bowl and set aside.
• Slice the zucchinis halfway through lengthwise, careful not to pierce through the center. Spiralize on Blade C. Add the zucchini to the bowl with the dressing, along with the black beans, cherry tomatoes, and half of the scallions.
• Serve the salad topped with remaining scallions, avocado, and jalapenos.

Notes

Inspired by https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/southwestern-pasta-salad

The post Southwestern Avocado Zucchini Pasta Salad appeared first on Inspiralized.

This recipe is one of my most popular recipes of all time! It’s so easy to throw together last minute, satisfies salty pasta salad cravings, it’s great for lunch meal prep, and, unlike most zucchini noodle dishes, it can last several days in the refrigerator without getting soggy (actually, it tastes even better on the second day, as the noodles absorb the flavors of the dressing.

We replace a rotini or macaroni pasta noodle and instead, make macaroni style zucchini noodles by slicing the zucchini halfway through lengthwise and then spiralizing on Blade C on the Inspiralizer. This yields c-shaped zoodles that work well for pasta salad style dishes, like this one.

This pasta salad is packed with all the classic Italian pasta salad ingredients, like meats, cheese, tomatoes, olives, veggies, and a simple red wine vinegar based dressing. It’s definitely one of those salads that you’ll be bringing over to every summer gathering and you’ll be the talk of the party – “Who brought THAT salad?!”

I love having this for lunch with a side of toasted crusted bread brushed with some olive oil and a glass of wine. It’s seriously the most satisfying meal! It’s also just great to have made in the fridge for snacking!

If you’re dairy-free, you can totally omit the provolone cheese, but if you’re not, I really recommend it – it amps up the flavor of this dish. If you’re vegetarian, omit the meats and add in some white beans for protein. Make it yours!

Watch our video to learn how to spiralize a zucchini using the Inspiralizer and subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch more videos:

Nutritional Information & Recipe

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Italian Zucchini Pasta Salad

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 3 -4

Ingredients

• 2 medium zucchinis
• 1 cup quartered artichoke hearts drained, patted dry
• 1/2 cup cubed provolone cheese sliced into cubes
• 1/2 cup thick sliced salami sliced into half moons
• 1/2 red onion sliced thinly
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup halved medium black olives
• For the dressing
• 1.5 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Slice your zucchinis halfway through and then spiralize them, using Blade B.
• Place your zucchini noodles in a bowl with the artichoke hearts, tomatoes, provolone cheese, salami, red onion and black olives.
• Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and toss to combine thoroughly. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes (best if left for 3-4 hours) to let the dressing soften the zucchini.
• Transfer to a serving bowl.

The post Italian Zucchini Pasta Salad appeared first on Inspiralized.

The temperatures have been slowly dropping in the past week or so, and I’m so excited for fall, but also trying to savor and hold on to these last few weeks of summer.

I’m making all the easy, cold, spiralized salads like this Spiralized Cucumber Greek Salad, another oldie but a goodie!

When Lu and I went to Greece on our first big trip together as a couple (about a year into dating), we fell in love with the Greek salad but realized how different they were from the Greek salads in the US. They were full of the freshest ingredients, the purest of fetas, and seasoned just right.

Instead of lettuce and chopped veggies, the Greek salads in Greece just use big chunks of tomatoes, onions, and bell peppers – and rarely with olives, if ever.

I’ve tried to combine the best of both worlds into a fuller dish that can be enjoyed either for lunch or for dinner (top with your favorite protein – quinoa, grilled chicken, etc) or just enjoy it as a side dish.

Soon enough, this blog will be allll about the sweet potatoes and chunky sweaters, so let’s enjoy this last burst of freshness!

Andddd I have a huge announcement coming on Wednesday to the blog, so make sure you stay tuned or subscribe to our newsletter so you receive alerts when the big news is announced!

Nutritional Information & Recipe

Weight Watchers SmartPoints*: 8  points

*These points were calculated using the official Weight Watchers SmartPoints calculator. We are in no way affiliated with Weight Watchers, we are providing this information based on popular demand.

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Greek Pasta Salad

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1.5 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/2 tablespoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• salt and pepper
• 2 seedless English cucumbers Blade C, noodles trimmed
• 1/2 red onion peeled, Blade A, noodles trimmed
• 1 red bell pepper Blade A, noodles trimmed
• 1.5 cups halved cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup packed baby spinach
• 1/3 cup kalamata olives halved
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta
• 1 15oz canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Instructions

• In the bottom of a large mixing bowl, mix together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Add the remaining ingredients and toss thoroughly to combine. Serve.

Notes

Per serving (1 out of 4) - Calories: 269, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Carbs: 19g, Fiber: 7g, Sugars: 7g, Protein: 14g, Sodium: 781mg

The post Spiralized Cucumber Greek Salad appeared first on Inspiralized.

The avocado obsession continues! Avocado is just such a versatile food – it can be used in sandwiches, in frittatas, in tacos, as a spread, as a dip in guacamole, baked and stuffed, or, like here, as a dressing.

I can’t get enough avocado and it’s full of healthy fats, so don’t fear the avocado: embrace it!

This easy pasta salad is all cold assembly, so no need to turn your oven or stovetop on for this one. You just prepare the dressing and toss it with all of the other ingredients for an easy, go-to pasta salad.

Since avocado easily browns, unfortunately, this salad doesn’t keep well in the refrigerator. It’s one of those pasta salads you should make to bring to a potluck or simply make for lunch.

I love the crunchy texture with the creamy avocado-mustard dressing. I’m also a mustard freak, so anything with that delicious tanginess is my jam.

I hope everyone’s having an amazing week – things are really ramping up here work-wise. We have a full videoshoot week (we’re literally filming 18 videos this week over 3 days, eek!) Make sure you stay tuned on Instagram!

My goal is to have this blog setup for my maternity absence in the next 2 weeks. I just want to let my body truly relax in the last few weeks and not be rushing around to get everything done. Wish me luck!

Watch our video to learn how to spiralize a zucchini using the Inspiralizer and subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch more videos:

Nutritional Information & Recipe

Weight Watchers SmartPoints*: 12 points

*These points were calculated using the official Weight Watchers SmartPoints calculator. We are in no way affiliated with Weight Watchers, we are providing this information based on popular demand.

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Chopped Zucchini Pasta Salad with Avocado-Mustard Dressing

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• For the salad:
• 2 medium zucchinis
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes quartered
• 3 celery ribs diced
• ½ red onion diced
• 3 carrots peeled, diced
• 15 oz can chickpeas drained, rinsed
• 1 large bell pepper diced
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• For the dressing:
• 1 large ripe avocado
• ?1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• ?1 ½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 small garlic clove
• 1 rounded tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Place all of the ingredients for the dressing in a food processor and pulse until creamy. Set aside.
• Slice the zucchinis halfway through lengthwise, careful not to pierce the center. Then, spiralize using Blade C and place into the bottom of a large mixing bowl along with the tomatoes, celery, onion, carrots, chickpeas, and bell pepper. Pour over the dressing and toss well to combine. Serve.

Notes

Per serving (1 out of 6) - Calories: 363, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Carbs: 52g, Fiber: 16g, Sugars: 13g, Protein: 16g, Sodium: 57mg

The post Chopped Zucchini Pasta Salad with Avocado-Mustard Dressing appeared first on Inspiralized.

Although this weekend was a bit chilly, this past week was filled with 90 degree days, and all I was craving was cold pasta salads.

Well, not real pasta salads – zucchini pasta salads.

You may have tried my Italian Zucchini Pasta Salad or my Mediterranean Zucchini Pasta Salad. Well now, we have the easiest one yet: Mozzarella, Tomato and Pesto Zucchini Pasta Salad.

Unfortunately, it’s starting to get back down to typical spring temperatures – in this 60s, but I’m not complaining, because Memorial Day is right around the corner, and then I know summer’s coming!

I’ve been getting so excited lately for the summer, because there would be lots of festivities – my babymoon, my baby shower, my sister’s bridesmaids brunch, a friends 30th birthday, and little trips here and there.

And, I’ll be setting up the nursery in a month-ish. I bought the wallpaper and the crib last night, because I just couldn’t wait anymore – and someone told me that cribs tend to go out of stock, so I wanted to make sure I had the one I wanted!

I’m already getting the urge to nest, and I’m only 22 weeks (23 on Wednesday!) Last night, Lu was able to feel the baby kick from the outside. It was a cute little moment in bed. #crazySaturdaynight (haha have you seen my greeting card about Friday night?)

I’m enjoying these little milestones!

Anyway, today we have a zucchini pasta salad for you that’s no-cook, only five ingredients, and can be saved for up to 3 days in the refrigerator, to be enjoyed before, during, and after a potluck! I love bringing my zucchini pasta salads to outdoor gatherings and potlucks, because it’s always a crowd pleaser and then it ensures there’s something healthy for me there to eat.

And you can’t go wrong with pesto – it makes everything tastes better!

Watch our video to learn how to spiralize a zucchini using the Inspiralizer and subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch more videos:

Nutritional Information & Recipe

Weight Watchers SmartPoints*: 10 points

*These points were calculated using the official Weight Watchers SmartPoints calculator. We are in no way affiliated with Weight Watchers, we are providing this information based on popular demand.

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Mozzarella, Tomato and Pesto Zucchini Pasta Salad

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 2 medium zucchinis
• 1 cup halved mozzarella balls
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
• ¾ cup halved large black olives
• 2/3 cup basil pesto

Instructions

• Slice your zucchinis halfway through and then spiralize them, using Blade B.
• Place your zucchini noodles in a serving bowl with the mozzarella, tomatoes, olives, and pesto. Toss well to combine so the pesto coats all the vegetables.
• Serve.

Notes

Per serving (1 out of 4) - Calories: 277, Fat: 24g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Carbs: 12g, Fiber: 4g, Sugars: 4g, Protein: 12g, Sodium: 1495mg

The post Mozzarella, Tomato and Pesto Zucchini Pasta Salad appeared first on Inspiralized.

We’re back with a new episode of #EverydayInspiralized, my video cooking series on my YouTube channel.

We’re making a brand new recipe (and one that I know many of you have been waiting for after teasers on Instagram) –  Zucchini Noodles with Creamy Avocado Lime Cilantro Dressing, Corn and Tomatoes!

I make this dressing A LOT. I’m always incorporating avocados somehow into my diet, and this is probably my favorite way to do it. You get to eat a big bowl of creamy pasta, without the processed dairy and sugar.

Unfortunately, since avocados oxidize and turn brown easily, it doesn’t save well in the refrigerator (the avocado sauce will brown within 30 minutes), so keep that in mind as you’re meal planning. But trust me, you won’t have any leftovers – it’s so good you’ll want to devour the whole bowl!

The corn are slightly spicy and the tomatoes are fresh and chilled, it’s just an amazing combination – this is going to become one of your go-to summer meals, I have a feeling!

Watch this week’s episode of #EverydayInspiralized and subscribe so you never miss a video:

PLEASE NOTE: Currently, I am celebrating my one year wedding anniversary with my husband, in Southeast Asia. Thus, I am not checking blog comments and messages. If you do leave a comment, Meaghan, our Brand & Community Manager is here to respond and help with any questions. You can always e-mail her if you need anything while I’m gone. I return July 4th weekend, and will respond to everything that week when I’m back in the office. Thank you for your patience and understanding as I enjoy this time with my husband! 

Nutritional Information & Recipe

Weight Watchers SmartPoints*: 12 points

*These points were calculated using the official Weight Watchers SmartPoints calculator. We are in no way affiliated with Weight Watchers, we are providing this information based on popular demand.

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#EverydayInspiralized: Zucchini Noodles with Creamy Avocado Lime Cilantro Dressing, Corn and Tomatoes

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Ingredients

• For the sauce:
• 1 lime juiced
• 1 ripe avocado peeled and pitted
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1 teaspoon minced jalapeno
• 1 small clove of garlic minced
• water to thin if needed
• salt and pepper
• For the rest:
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 medium ear of corn kernels shaved off
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 medium zucchinis Blade D, noodles trimmed
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes

Instructions

• Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Once oil is shimmering, add the corn and season with salt, pepper, and chili powder. Cook for 5 minutes or until corn is cooked through and fork tender. Set aside when done.
• Place all of the ingredients for the sauce into a food processor and pulse until creamy. Taste and adjust, if needed.
• Place your zucchini noodles into a bowl, pour over the creamy sauce and mix to combine thoroughly.
• Divide the dressed noodles into two to three plates and top with corn and tomatoes.

The post #EverydayInspiralized: Zucchini Noodles with Creamy Avocado Lime Cilantro Dressing, Corn and Tomatoes appeared first on Inspiralized.

Now that it’s officially unofficially summer (ha – see what I did there?), all I have on the mind is fresh, cold summer salads.

I’ve been craving my Italian Zucchini Pasta Salad, but haven’t been eating much meat lately, so I decided to put a vegetarian and Mediterranean spin on it.

My favorite thing to do during the week is stop by the farmer’s market (with my Inspiralized tote bag of course!) and pick up fresh zucchini, mozzarella, tomatoes, and greens and come home, douse it all with salt, pepper, lemon juice and olive oil, maybe shove an avocado in there, and call it a meal.

It’s the most satisfying type of meal to eat during those super hot summer months! In fact, my goal this summer season is to come up with as many cold noodle salads as possible, to equip us with fresh veggie meals to eat when the temps keep rising.

I’m starting with this Mediterranean Zucchini Pasta Salad. This salad is easy to whip up and includes both fresh and pantry items, for time saving (let’s be honest – once summer hits, we want to spend less and less time in the kitchen.)

I use my favorite canned tomatoes, Tuttorosso Tomatoes, here but if you’re making this and have some fresh tomatoes you need to make use of, dice them up and add them in place of the canned variety. I have to say, Tuttorosso’s canned tomatoes can sometimes be better than the fresh kind!

The salty feta and soft artichokes pair amazingly with the light red wine and oregano vinaigrette and everything together softens up the longer it all sits together, as the acids from the lemon juice and vinegar “cook” the raw vegetables.

Stay tuned for more fresh, spiralized summer salads!

Note: This post was sponsored by Tuttorosso Tomatoes. As always, all opinions are my own.

Now you can watch a cooking video of this recipe:

Nutritional Information & Recipe

Weight Watchers SmartPoints*: 8 points

*These points were calculated using the official Weight Watchers SmartPoints calculator. We are in no way affiliated with Weight Watchers, we are providing this information based on popular demand.

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Mediterranean Zucchini Pasta Salad

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6 -8

Ingredients

• For the salad:
• 2 medium zucchinis
• 1 small red onion peeled
• 1 14.5oz can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
• 1/2 cup halved pitted kalamata olives
• 1 cup drained and rinsed canned chickpeas
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta
• 1 14.5oz can diced tomatoes, drained
• For the dressing:
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• salt and pepper

Instructions

• Place all of the ingredients for the dressing into a bowl and whisk together.
• Slice the zucchinis halfway through lengthwise, careful not to pierce through the center. Spiralize the zucchinis with Blade C and add to a large mixing bowl. Grab the onion and again, slice halfway through lengthwise, careful not to pierce through the center. Spiralize the onion with Blade A and add half of the noodles to the bowl with the zucchini noodles and save the rest for future use. Then add in the artichokes, olives, chickpeas, feta, and diced tomatoes.
• Pour the prepared dressing over the zucchini salad and toss well to combine. Serve or refrigerate for future use.

The post Mediterranean Zucchini Pasta Salad appeared first on Inspiralized.

Farro is my brown rice. If I had to choose a grain to go with every meal, it would most certainly be farro. The chewiness of farro is the best!

An easy way to come up with something to bring to a gathering is to toss spiralized veggies with grains and in this case, I’m using farro.

Spiralizing isn’t just a pasta alternative (I know I sound like a broken record), but it’s true! There’s so much more you can do with these noodles, such as here, in a whole grain salad.

These zucchini noodles are lightly cooked to still maintain their crunchy element, but warm up to complement the warm farro. If you’re eating it right away, it’s a warm, comforting but light dish. However, if you’re planning ahead, this dish works really well chilled. Actually, I kept it in my fridge and made little bowls of it for three days!

Dare I say it’s an ideal work lunch? You can top it with grilled chicken to make it more protein-packed, or toss cannellini beans in there. The softness of those beans would work wonders here.

I’ll be doing a last-minute Memorial Day BBQ spiralized recipe roundup next weekend, but in the meantime, I wanted to equip you with some more ideas for those gatherings. We’re actually staying in Jersey City for the holiday weekend. We’ve been going to Florida with my family for the past few years, so we’re looking forward to a bit of a #staycation.

And for those of you who have been waiting for the right moment to order your Inspiralizer (it’s ALWAYS the right time!), then stay tuned because we’re going to have a 20% offsale all next weekend (Saturday – Monday) in celebration of Memorial Day and those who fought for our freedom.

Watch our video to learn how to spiralize a zucchini using the Inspiralizer and subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch more videos:

CHECK OUT ALI’S LATEST POST ON HER LIFESTYLE BLOG, INSPIRALIZED ALI:

Nutritional Information & Recipe

Weight Watchers SmartPoints*: 8 points

*These points were calculated using the official Weight Watchers SmartPoints calculator. We are in no way affiliated with Weight Watchers, we are providing this information based on popular demand.

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Summer Farro Salad with Spiralized Zucchini, Onions, and Mozzarella

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 3 -4

Ingredients

• For the dressing:
• 1.5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1/2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste
• For the salad:
• 1 medium zucchini Blade C, noodles trimmed
• 1 cup cooked farro
• 1/2 cup halved mozzarella balls
• 1/2 small red onion Blade A, noodles trimmed
• 1 basil chiffonade about 8 basil leaves chopped
• 1/2 cup jarred roasted red peppers drained and sliced into 1/4” thick slivers

Instructions

• Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the skillet is heated, add in the zucchini noodles and cook until warmed through and slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Set aside and if needed, drain into a colander first (if there is excess moisture released).
• Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper.
• In a large serving bowl, combine the farro, mozzarella, zucchini noodles, onion noodles, basil, and roasted peppers. Pour over the dressing and toss thoroughly to combine. Taste and adjust with more salt and pepper, if needed. Serve.

The post Summer Farro Salad with Mozzarella and Spiralized Zucchini appeared first on Inspiralized.

This weekend, I finally visited a Houlihan’s to taste my menu. MY menu (crazy to say that, still.)

It was such a surreal, exciting, and humbling experience.

In case you missed the announcement, I collaborated with Houlihan’s Restaurants on an Inspiralized Specials Menu (yes, a fully spiralized specials menu.) The menu was launched at all Hou locations across the country (70+!)

I visited one near me – the Bayonne location. I went on Saturday night with Lu, my sister Felicia and her boyfriend, Ben.

Every single person at the restaurant was so friendly, accommodating and gracious. I was blown away by their kindness and hospitality.

What I was most shocked by was how much they complimented the Inspiralized menu! From the Chef to the General Manager, they all loved it – they even said their serving staff was eating it and experimenting with spiralized vegetables themselves.

It was humbling to say the least. Some servers stopped by to let me know that there were customers eating their dinners off the specials menu that night that wanted to “send their thanks.” The serving staff even said that their regulars were loving the menu!

I can’t tell you how happy this made me – I was nervous (kind of like when my cookbook first released) for how the menu would be received!

Lu, my sister and Ben all LOVED the dishes – we ordered everything off the menu, of course – butternut squash lasagnas, Thai zucchini noodle salads, and the sweet potato noodle Mexicali flatbread. They all loved it too!

I’m actually going to Chicago on Thursday with a bunch of my food blogger friends to showcase the menu to them. I can’t wait – I’m so proud of this collaboration!

Now for today, we have a spiralized version of the classic Waldorf salad with chicken. The mayonnaise is replaced with a high-protein, low-sugar alternative: Greek yogurt. The apples are spiralized and the salad is stuffed into lettuce cups, which are my favorite vessel to enjoy these types of salads.

So, if you live near a Houlihan’s location, go visit and check out my menu – it’s available until June!

Nutritional Information & Recipe

Weight Watchers SmartPoints*: 6 points

*These points were calculated using the official Weight Watchers SmartPoints calculator. We are in no way affiliated with Weight Watchers, we are providing this information based on popular demand.

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Chicken Waldorf Salad Cups with Spiralized Apples

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

• For the waldorf salad:
• 1 large chicken breast
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1 Gala apple or apple of choice Blade C
• 1 cup grapes halved (red or green – it’s preference!)
• 1 celery stalk diced
• 4 green lettuce leaves or 6 bibb lettuce cups
• For the fayonnaise:
• 2/3 cup + 2 tablespoons nonfat plain Greek Yogurt
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Place the chicken in a medium deep skillet and cover with water. Add a pinch of salt, cover, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Once simmering, reduce heat to low and let simmer for 7-10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside. Transfer to a cutting board and shred with two forks. Transfer the chicken to a plate and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 15 minutes.
• While chicken chills, place a small skillet over medium-high heat. Once skillet is heated, add in the walnuts and let toast for 5 minutes or until fragrant and starting to brown. When cool enough to handle, roughly chop and set aside.
• Also, combine all of the ingredients for the fayonnaise together in the bottom of a large mixing bowl and whisk until combined. Set aside.
• Add the apple, chicken, celery and walnuts to the large bowl with the fayonnaise. Toss to combine thoroughly.
• Lay out your lettuce cups and fill with the waldorf mixture. Serve.

The post Chicken Waldorf Salad Cups with Spiralized Apples appeared first on Inspiralized.

In an effort to make as many cold noodle salads as possible before summer ends, I present to you this fluffy, tasty spiralized pasta salad.

Through trial and error, I realized that cashew and balsamic really go well together.

Who would have known!

Speaking of cashew and balsamic, there’s a disclaimer that goes along with this recipe.

To make sauces creamier without adding, well, cream, it’s common in the health food world to add blended cashews. However, first, you must soak the cashews (for at least 2 hours), then drain and then blend.

If you skip this step, the cashews won’t break down well enough and they’ll have a gritty, grainy texture.

Of course, when I was making this recipe, I forgot to pre-soak the cashews that morning. Thus, when I went to make this tasty dressing, the texture was off (you can probably tell in the pictures, right?)

However, that doesn’t make this recipe any less delicious – and actually, I kinda liked the texture – it added a little oomph to this simple pasta salad.

This pasta salad saves well in the refrigerator, just leave the dressing and the “pasta” separate and combine once you arrive to your party or when your party arrives. If you’re making it for lunch, do the same – keep the dressing and the pasta separated. This is a great rule of thumb for all spiralized meals that include zucchini noodles.

Also, let’s not talk about the fact that Labor Day weekend is in a little more than 2 weeks. How is this possible?!

Now to get to that summer bucket list…. what’s on yours?

Nutritional Information & Recipe

Weight Watchers SmartPoints*: 8 points

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Mozzarella and Cashew-Balsamic Zucchini Noodle Salad

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Ingredients

• For the dressing:
• 1/4 cup raw cashews soaked in water for at least 2 hours
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 garlic clove pressed
• 1/4 cup cashew milk
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon country Dijon mustard
• For the salad:
• 1/2 cup mozzarella pearls the “little ones”
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
• 1 orange or yellow bell pepper Blade A, noodles trimmed
• 1 large zucchini Blade B, noodles trimmed
• 1 tablespoon pine nuts

Instructions

• Drain the cashews and then place them, along with the rest of the dressing ingredients into a food processor or blender and blend until creamy. Taste and adjust, if necessary. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the mozzarella balls, cherry tomatoes, and bell pepper for the salad. Then, drizzle over the dressing and toss everything to mix well. Place in the refrigerator while you prepare the pine nuts.
• Place a small skillet over medium heat. Once skillet is heated, add in the pine nuts and toast for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown and fragrant.
• Divide the salad into bowls and top with pine nuts.

The post Mozzarella and Cashew-Balsamic Zucchini Noodle Salad appeared first on Inspiralized.

Happy Monday! Normally on Mondays, I’m missing the weekend, but this week, I have a lot to be excited for!

First up on that excitement list is the Virtual Dinner Party with Tuttorosso Tomatoes!

All of my recipes have led up to this moment, and I’m excited to kick off a Virtual Dinner Party, as part of the “Inspiralize the Spring” campaign.

A few select bloggers are bringing a week-long dinner party – each day, there will be a new blogger, providing a new course for this virtual dinner.

And guess what? They’re all spiralized!

Here’s the schedule, so you can follow along:

And as you’ll see, I’m responsible for appetizers! Spiralizing isn’t just for pasta and noodle dishes, they’re great for spicing up mundane sides and starters!

I have a spring roll recipe in my cookbook (now 40% off on Amazon!) yet I had never made one on this blog, so I thought it was a perfect opportunity to kick off this fun collaboration with Tuttorosso!

These Italian Zucchini Pasta Spring Rolls are a twist on my Italian Zucchini Pasta Salad. I picked a few essential, key ingredients from that recipe and stuffed them into a spring roll. They’re perfect for a summer get together – your guests will definitely be impressed! Spring rolls tend to be stuffed with Asian-inspired ingredients, so these spring rolls are a nice surprise.

I used the dressing to marinate the zucchini noodles first so that they soften and absorb the flavors of the Italian herb dressing. Then, the extra dressing is used for dipping!

When I first made a batch of these for this blog post, I saved them in the fridge and they stayed fresh for 3 days before they started to get soggy from the dressed zucchini noodles. Lu couldn’t get enough of them, they’re so flavorful, crunchy and refreshing!

Hope you enjoy the rest of the Virtual Dinner Party and make sure you enter to win all of hte great prizes from Tuttorosso Tomatoes (and Inspiralized!) here. Oh, and always hashtag your creations with #inspiralized and this time, also #tuttorossotomatoes!

Nutritional Information & Recipe

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Italian Zucchini Pasta Spring Rolls

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Ingredients

• For the rolls:
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced jumbo black olives *
• 1 large zucchini Blade C, noodles trimmed*
• 1/2 small red onion sliced thinly*
• 3 oz of 1/4” thick matchstick slices of provolone cheese* they’ll break up into smaller cubes as you slice them, that’s okay
• 4 oz of 1/4” thick matchstick slices of salami*
• 2 to matoes deseeded and sliced into 1/4" slivers from 28oz can of Tuttorosso Tomatoes Peeled Plum Tomatoes*
• 6 rice paper sheets
• *don’t prep until you are prompted to in the directions below
• For the dressing:
• 3 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Whisk all of the ingredients for the dressing together and set aside.
• Toss together the zucchini noodles with half of the dressing in a large mixing bowl. Place in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes to soften the zucchini (or up to overnight!)
• While the zucchinis sit in the fridge, prep all of the ingredients with astericks (*).
• Fill a bowl with warm water. Submerge 1 of the rice paper sheets for about 3-4 seconds and then lay on your surface. Let sit for 30 seconds or until pliable.
• Lay the fillings on the edge of the rice paper closest to you. First, add in the olives and onions, then salami, provolone and tomato slice. Top with zucchini noodles.
• Then, gently pull away the edge of the wrap from the work surface and roll over all the fillings. Roll away from you and tuck in your filling toward you, keeping the roll tight. Once you roll over your fillings one complete time, fold the edges in and then keep rolling, keeping the roll tight.
• Slice the roll in half. Repeat until all rice paper sheets and fillings are used up.
• Serve with the extra dressing for dipping!

The post Italian Zucchini Pasta Spring Rolls appeared first on Inspiralized.

This weekend, I made the executive decision to spring clean. I’m probably a couple weeks early, but, I just can’t wear a chunky sweater for one more day.

Frankly, I rather be cold and shivering, than wear sweaters any longer.

So, winter, goodbye. Helloooo, spring! I’m ready for your new beginnings and nicer temperatures.

I love spring cleaning in the sense that I love to reorganize myself and get rid of any baggage that’s preventing me from going into spring with a clear mind and space.

I’m not talking about mopping the floors, I’m talking about cleaning out my drawers, closet, and desk area.

I donated two giant Ikea bags worth of clothing this weekend. I didn’t even know I had so many clothes! I’m a victim of impulse buying and I end up with four gray t-shirts, all slightly different but really all the exact same- and none of great quality.

For the rest of this year, I want to focus on quality over quantity.

What perfect timing to “start” the year again than with my 28th birthday coming up (on Wednesday, April 1st!) That’s truly the start of the year, since it’s when I started my life! Well, 28 years ago, that is.

So, my closet is organized, my drawers actually close now (and can see what’s in them!) and my desk is clear. I’m ready to conquer this week, this month and this year.

I feel like so many exciting things are coming up, and I just want to have a clear mind (and it takes a clear space to allow for a clear mind!)

This recipe is perfect for today, because I’m so over this cold weather.

With my collaboration with Tuttorosso Tomatoes, they asked me to “inspiralize” a few of their own recipes which lived on their website. This was one of them!

Instead of using tortellini, I subbed in zucchini noodles. I’m no stranger to a good zucchini noodle pasta salad! They’re fresh, easy to prepare, easy to eat outdoors (err.. “al fresco”) and won’t way you down on a hot summer day – they’ll refresh and energize you!

This salad has great crunch, it’s easy to save in the refrigerator (the longer the noodles sit in the dressing, the softer they get) and it’s bright and colorful, perfect for a summer BBQ, entertaining friends.

Ahhhh… I can’t wait!

You can find this recipe on the Tuttorosso website also, by clicking here.

What’s your favorite dish to serve up to crowds in the summertime?

Nutritional Information & Recipe

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Al Fresco Zucchini Pasta Salad

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Ingredients

• 3 medium zucchini spiralized, noodles trimmed
• 1 1/2 cups fresh broccoli flowerets
• 1 large carrot spiralized using Blade C, noodles trimmed
• 1 medium yellow bell pepper diced
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 28 ounce can Tuttorosso® Diced Tomatoes in rich tomato juice, drained

Instructions

• Bring a large saucepan filled halfway with water and a pinch of salt to a boil. Add broccoli and carrots and cook for 3 minutes; drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking.
• Combine the vinegar, olive oil, Italian seasoning, mustard, salt, black pepper and garlic power in a screw top jar. Cover and shake well.
• In a large bowl combine the zucchini noodles, broccoli, carrots, diced tomatoes and yellow bell pepper. Shake dressing and pour over zucchini pasta mixture; toss gently to coat.

The post Al Fresco Zucchini Pasta Salad appeared first on Inspiralized.