Loosely based on a salad from an old Atkins cookbook,
I make this every year for an Easter Dinner salad (or something similar – I tend to change it a bit every year). The "pesto" is a simple green dressing made from spinach and dried basil. Its nothing like traditional pesto, I just didn't know what else to call it. lol
Today I made it as run through before servings it to my whole family on Sunday. I’m super happy with the results. So happy, I ate my whole experiment batch today!
Ingredients
- 2 medium zucchini sliced really thin
- 1 red bell pepper cut into short strips
- 1 cup baby spinach leaves (~30g)
- 2-3 cloves of garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried basil (I used ½ with 2-3 leaves of fresh aging basil – I was running out)
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ tablespoon olive oil (7g)
- ½ tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- Salt & Pepper
- ½ tablespoon parmesan cheese
Instructions
Blend the spinach leaves, garlic, basil, parsley, oil, lemon juice, vinegars, salt and pepper in a food processor or blender. Pour over zucchini and peppers. Eat it right away or let zucchini marinate in the fridge for a bit. When ready to serve top with the parmesan cheese.
Now I’m counting the dish as 2 large servings, it can serve more then that as a side. The picture shows the entire recipe.
📖 Recipe
Zucchini & Red Pepper Salad with Spinach “Pesto”
Ingredients
- 2 medium zucchini sliced really thin
- 1 red bell pepper cut into short strips
- 1 cup baby spinach leaves ~30g
- 2-3 cloves of garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried basil I used ½ with 2-3 leaves of fresh aging basil – I was running out
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ tablespoon olive oil 7g
- ½ tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- Salt & Pepper
- ½ tablespoon parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Blend the spinach leaves, garlic, basil, parsley, oil, lemon juice, vinegars, salt and pepper in a food processor or blender.2 medium zucchini sliced really thin, 1 red bell pepper cut into short strips, 1 cup baby spinach leaves, 2-3 cloves of garlic, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon dried parsley, ½ tablespoon olive oil, ½ tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- Pour over zucchini and peppers. Eat it right away or let zucchini marinate in the fridge for a bit. When ready to serve top with the parmesan cheese.½ tablespoon parmesan cheese
Roni
You are SO welcome! Hope you like it!
-Roni
melissa
I have lots of peppers and zuchs that I need to use so I googled the combo and this came up--great idea and exactly what i needed but I think I'll roast the peppers slightly so it'll be a little easier on my sensitive stomach.
Thanks!
deanna s.
Hi Robin - Just found your website from a link via Kalyn. Loving it! I made the zucchini and pepper salad and put the leftovers in some tacos on the next day. Thanks for the inspiration! -Deanna
Noelle
We have a few Atkins/Protein Power cookbooks around too. I really like how many of the veggie dishes can still work as WW things if I just reduce the cheese or oil some. I guess that's why we don't throw out the baby with the bathwater, eh?
Mel
Roni,
Wow that looks great!!! I am going food shopping today I will definitely be getting the ingredients for this recipe.
Mel
Kalyn
Sounds really tasty! I really like raw zucchini as a variation to cucumber.