Roasted Red Pepper Zoodles

This is the first time I have ever tried to "fire roast" any vegetables.  It has always seemed pretty intimidating to me but I have a new found love for zoodles (zucchini noodles) and wanted to mix things up a bit. Turns out, "fire roasting" wasn't as difficult as it seems.  It is hard to find a nice pasta sauce that doesn't contain a ton of heavy cream and butter, both of which I am no longer eating.  This recipe gives you that thick constancy and is the perfect sauce for zoodles, spaghetti squash and I am dying to try it on brown rice noodles.  Enjoy!

Roasted Red Pepper Zoodles

Ingredients

For the sauce:

2 large red bell peppers
1/4 onion, roughly sliced
2 oz parmesan cheese (be sure to buy a block and hand grate the cheese to steer clear of nasty clumping agents that are put in pre shredded cheese)
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp pepper





For the zoodles:

2 large zucchini
1/2 Tbsp coconut oil
1 Tbsp garlic, minced
Sea salt to taste

Additional grated parmesan cheese and parsley for topping

Set oven temperature to broil and move the top rack up, closer to the broiler flame, but not touching.  On a large cookie sheet or baking stone, place whole bell peppers on their side along with the sliced onion.  Allow to broil, turning peppers and onions so that the peppers are nicely blackened on each side and the onions are nicely golden.  Be sure to keep an eye on the veggies during this process as they can burn easily on broil.  Remove from oven and place peppers and onions in a sealed baggie.  Allow to sit and cool for 10 minutes.

While peppers and onions are cooling, melt 1/2 Tbsp coconut oil in a large pan, over medium heat.  Using a Veggetti, or other veggie spiral slicer, make noodles from the 2 large zucchini.  Add them to the pan with the coconut oil, along with garlic and sea salt to taste.  Allow zoodles to cook until they are soft, but not mushy.

When peppers and onions are cooled, remove the outer, waxy layer off of the peppers (it should come off fairly easy).  Add peppers, onions, grated parmesan cheese, olive oil, parsley, garlic powder, sea salt and pepper to a blender or food processor.  Puree until the mixture becomes desired constancy.  Add the sauce to the pan with the cooked zoodles.  Mix and allow to heat for 5 minutes to incorporate all the flavors.

Homemade Tomato Sauce

I've never made my own tomato sauce.  I usually buy the organic sauce in the jar from the grocery store to cut back on the time it would take to complete a recipe with homemade sauce.  Although I do buy the sauce in the jar, I haven't found one that I really love.

I decided last night I would try to make my own sauce and it was surprisingly easy.  Hope you enjoy!

Homemade Tomato Sauce

Ingredients


1 Tbsp coconut oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 Tbsp garlic, minced
8 medium Roma tomatoes, quartered
1 cup vegetable broth
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
2 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, heat coconut oil over medium heat.  Add garlic and onions, sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.  Add seasonings, cooking an additional minute to incorporate flavors.  Add quartered tomatoes and vegetable broth.  Simmer,  covered on low heat for an hour.  Remove sauce from heat and allow to cool.  Place sauce in blender and blend until it has reached desired consistency.  Use immediately or store up to 5 days in the refrigerator in a glass jar.  Delicious as a pasta sauce or pizza sauce!