Oodles of Zoodles Salad

By Kimberly Cihlar

There’s nothing like zucchini raw, especially this time of year, when this spectacular veggie comes to us via our CSA, shaped long and lean or squat and round. It’s so healthy, crunchy and satisfying. One of my favorite ways of preparing zukes about now is to use the spiralizer tool (easy to find and inexpensive to buy, usually under $10) to create long, thin “noodles.” 

​During the cooler months, I do like to cook the zucchini, as one might pasta. But in summertime, there’s nothing fresher or more appealing than 4-6 zucchini “noodles” raw, tossed with about a cup of torn red leaf kale, a handful of chopped cilantro, drizzled with a bit of grapeseed or olive oil and pink Himalayan sea salt, then lightly dressed with a mixture of olive oil, rice wine vinegar, balsamic, the juice of 1/2 lemon, a 1/4 teaspoon of mustard and a titch of raw honey or real maple syrup. Dish up and top with a couple of leaves of fresh mint or basil for the perfect presentation.

​There are tons of clean-food alt options for this salad, depending on how you like to eat. Throw some lovely cold peeled shrimp on top, doctor with small squares of tofu as a cheese substitution and baby grape tomatoes, grate fresh carrots or radishes around the perimeter. However you end up preparing your Oodles of Zoodles, enjoy!