Searching for a delicious recipe that increases your intake of plant protein?
Serves: 6
Preparation Time: 10-15 minutes Cooking Time: 15-20 minutes
Eating Time [most important😉]: 20 minutes ++
Ingredients
Vegetables
4x Large zucchini OR you can buy pre spiralised zucchini in Woolworths/Coles
1 punnet cherry tomatoes (save 4-6 raw for garnish)
Handful of fresh spinach leaves
1 heaped cup sliced button mushrooms
2x spring onion bulbs
Protein and Low GI Carbohydrate
2 cups dried red lentils (McKenzie Brand)
100g cooked san remo pulse pasta (optional)
Parmesan cheese (to sprinkle on top)
Healthy Fat
1-2 Tbsp. guacamole (see recipe below)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Sauces / Spices / Flavours
1 small tub of 100% tomato passata (Mutti Brand) or 1x425g tinned crushed tomatoes (low sodium)
1 Tsp. Minced Garlic – Option for garlic infused oil for FODMAP suffers
Spices: 1 tsp of each: paprika/turmeric/basil
Optional: 1/2 cup fresh parsely
Season with cracker pepper
Instructions
1. Slice ends of zucchini and use a spiralizer to make ribbons
2. Thinly slice mushrooms and spring onions and halve cherry tomatoes
3. Sauté mushrooms, onions + tomatoes with olive oil + spices in a frypan for 3-5 minutes
4. In a medium size saucepan: Add 5-6 cups of water to lentils and boil (follow McKenzie packet instructions) – mix
whilst boiling until lentils absorb the water and are cooked through (~10 mins)
5. Mix through passata sauce/tinned tomatoes and minced garlic into lentils whilst on low heat, closely followed by
sauteed veggies
8. Drizzle some olive oil over spiralized zucchini and place in the microwave for 15 seconds
9. Plate up zucchini, then pour over the lentil mix, sprinkle with parmesan cheese & seasonings
10. Add a dollop of plain greek yoghurt or guacamole (see below)
11. Enjoy and take your time, serve with a sparkling water and fresh lemon juice
Guacamole Recipe (optional) – Combine ingredients to a consistency of your preference
1 small avocado
Juice of half a small lemon
1 Tbsp. plain greek yoghurt
Season with pepper and salt
Alternatives
Instead of zucchini = try sweet potato ribbons (higher starch vegetable*)
Mix in some normal spaghetti to zucchini to up the carb content
Nutritional Benefits
Excellent source of plant protein
High fibre
Antioxidant rich
Anti-inflammatory fats
This recipe was brought to you by Aimee Boidin, our Lane Cove and Cremorne Dietitian!