From now through the rest of the summer many of us will have more zucchini than we know what to do with. If you don’t grow it yourself, you can find plenty at farmside stands and farmers markets.
Zucchini have a high water content and are low in calories. They’re a good source of folate ( helps reduce your risk for cognitive diseases), potassium (helps build proteins and muscles), and vitamins A (important for good vision and helps our organs work properly) and C (for repairing and maintaining bones and teeth).
Try this no-cook salad on a warm summer evening!
Ingredients
2 large zucchini, spiralized or julienned
1/2 medium cucumber, thinly sliced
4 green onions, white parts thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 red or orange bell pepper, diced
6 spears asparagus, blanched and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
Dressing
1 ripe avocado
1 1/2 cups fresh cilantro (1 bunch)
3/4 cup plain yogurt
4 scallions, chopped
1 clove of garlic, quartered
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon sea salt
Combine the dressing ingredients in a powerful blender or food processor and set aside. It is fairly thick so you might have to work at this a bit.
Chop off the woody parts from the bottom of the asparagus, then blanch in salted water for one minute. Remove and run under cold water. Place the prepared zucchini in a large bowl and cut into smaller pieces with cooking shears. Add the remaining salad ingredients and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper and combine well. Pour about 1/2 cup of the dressing on the salad and toss to coat. Divide salad onto plates then top with additional dressing as desired. Store the leftover dressing and use the next day!
