After you all raved about my cheesy broiled tomatoes with zucchini noodles dish, I had to bring you another version.
This time, we’re leaving off the heat and making a cold pesto dish that’s ideal for those warm summer nights when all you truly want is a chilled glass of wine and some cheese.
We still have the cheese, but now, we’ve got some veggies in there.
If we eat veggies with cheese, it negates the cheese, right?
Jokes aside, I’m talking about those late afternoons on the weekends in the summertime when you invite a friend over to watch the sunset while sitting outside with a bottle of rose (mm!) or that favorite Sauvignon Blanc.
You ask yourself, what should I eat that won’t ruin my appetite for dinner but will keep me satisfied while I enjoy this bottle of wine?
Well, I’m here to give you the answer: this recipe.
As you slice into the soft mozzarella and tomato, you break into the pesto. The pesto coats everything as you twirl your fork around those dressed zucchini noodles.
The zucchini noodles have a nice crunch, while the mozzarella and tomato are succulently soft – the perfect combo.
This dish satisfies that cheese craving, while nourishing your body with the tomatoes, zucchini, and ingredients in the pesto (which we further lighten up by omitting that extra parmesan cheese.)
Honestly, I’m more of an appetizer and tapas lady myself anyways – I like to sample a bunch of different foods and flavors, instead of gorging myself with a big entree. Actually, when Lu and I dine out together, we always order more appetizers and ditch the entree or share one entree and load up on appetizers.
I can’t wait to make this for friends this summer – it’s sure to be a hit (and the added bonus is that you don’t have to use any heat, so you won’t sweat in the kitchen – more time for that wine!)
Nutritional Information & Recipe
Weight Watchers SmartPoints*: 11 points
Pesto Caprese Zucchini Noodle Salad
Ingredients
- For the pesto:
- 2 teaspoons pine nuts
- 1 packed cup of basil
- 1.5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small garlic clove
- salt and pepper to taste
- For the zucchini noodles:
- 1 medium zucchini Blade D, noodles trimmed
- For the caprese:
- 2 half-thick slices of tomato
- 2 quarter-inch thick slice of mozzarella cheese 2oz each
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil to drizzle
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- 2 basil leaves sliced thinly
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients for the pesto into a food processor and pulse until creamy. Taste and adjust, if necessary.
- In a large mixing bowl, add in the zucchini noodles and pour in the pesto. Toss together until fully combined.
- Plate the zucchini noodles into two dishes and top each with a tomato slice. Top the tomato with a slice of mozzarella and drizzle with olive oil (about 1 teaspoon) and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with red pepper flakes and basil.
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