Summer finally arrived while I was out of town, and it’s glorious.

And one of the best ways to enjoy 85º weather is to come home to it after spending a weekend in Vegas (105º+). 85º suddenly feels nice and breezy by comparison [Congrats to Mike and Heather on their marriage!].

I’m still trying to play catch-up on my sleep [and overall well-being]. I may or may not have slept 9 hours last night, which might not sound like a lot until you realize I sleep 5-6 hours normally. I crashed out on the couch from 7-10pm, got up to eat dinner, and crashed back out from 12am-6am. I needed it.

I’ve noticed a recurring theme where I come home from vacations craving veggies. Funny how that works. The breakfast smoothie of choice this week is banana, orange, carrot, cucumber and spinach. Add a little bit of lemon stevia, and it’s pretty much perfect. Morning smoothies will never get old.

Using zucchini in place of pasta is perfect for getting a fresh dose of veggies and keeping your stove off in the summer heat. It’s light, refreshing and easy to make. Does it make a perfect substitute for pasta? No, I love my carbs, but I do love it as a nice change of pace. Using avocado as the cream base is brilliant. It’s not a heavy avocado flavor since most of the lemon, garlic, and fresh cracked pepper take over. Did I shred a little fresh Parmesan on top? Absolutely.

I used two zucchini for one batch of sauce, and it was extra saucy with a little leftover. I could have easily used another one or two zucchini and had plenty of sauce to go around. Feel free to play around with the garlic because it is definitely intense being raw. I used two smaller ones. Fresh basil would be an incredible addition, but I only had dried on hand. Someday I’ll plant the herb garden I always talk about. Someday.

The two zucchini fed me, myself, and I without any additional sides. Adjust accordingly.

Inspiration: Oh She Glows

Ingredients

2-3 zucchini, 6-7″ long

1 medium avocado

1/2 lemon, juiced

2-3 cloves of garlic

1 tablespoon dried basil

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Using a vegetable peeler [or if you have mad knife skills or a mandoline], thinly slice as much of the zucchini as you can. I ate the parts that were ugly and couldn’t be sliced anymore as my pre-dinner snack. In the bowl of a food processor, process the garlic, lemon juice and olive oil until the garlic is pretty well destroyed. Add the avocado, basil, and a healthy dash of salt and pepper. Process until smooth. Add water or more olive oil for the consistency of choice. I added a little more olive oil. Taste. Add anything you think it needs. Place the sliced zucchini in a large bowl. Top with sauce. Toss to coat. Top with more cracked pepper and shredded cheese if desired. Ward off vampires with your breath. So good.