sautéed zucchini, sliced almonds & dill {cooking for one}

Recently, I decided to scale back on carbs. While I toyed with the idea of doing the Whole 30 (it seems everyone I know is doing it, or has tried it), the diet just isn’t realistic for me on a number of levels. For starters, I truly believe everything is fine in moderation, unless of course you have a true sensitivity or allergy. I know many people have taken the route of this elimination diet to get at the source of triggers making them feel unwell. It’s such a bigger discussion about how our food is produced and sourced, but not one I want to get into here, and now.

The last two years I’ve struggled a lot with my weight, and self image. Regardless of whether people think I look good, my old jeans tell the story of a much thinner person. I look around at the women in my family—all sticks when they were younger, and all now, well, let’s just say Brooklyn Italian women get plump as they age. I never imagined leaving an urban environment where I walked every day, every where, would have such a dramatic effect on my weight, and yet it has. Lesson learned.

Physical fitness now needs to be a priority, not an after thought. My mode of transportation is now generally on four wheels, not two feet. Exercise isn’t enough, so I’m working on food choices, too. I could never truly eliminate carbs‚ life is too damn short. Could I make better choices about what carbs I enjoy, and how often I enjoy them? Absolutely.

I also ate much better when Mikey was alive. We ate a lot less meat; it was relegated to once or twice a week. My portions were also smaller, more in line with a smaller appetite. Overall, I was more health conscious. And yes, I was younger, chasing after two little kids.

And so, zoodles, noodles made from spiraled zucchini have become my best friend in this new discovery of moderation. At first, I thought this would be torture, but I realized that my love of pasta had more to do with the toppings. Pasta, and bread by default, were merely vehicles for sauce! I don’t have a real spiralizer, and while I should buy one, this little gadget I found in the hardware store last summer does the trick. There’s just one problem—it only spiralizes the outer edge of the zucchini, leaving you with a cylindrical piece of zucchini, where it just so happens the seeds are clustered. Sounds wasteful, right?

While making zucchini carbonara (recipe coming soon!) for lunch one day, I decided to put that leftover bit of zucchini to good use. You can certainly use this method with just cut up coins of zucchini, but if like me, you have a spiralizer that doesn’t cut up the whole zucchini, then this recipe will be especially handy.

I love the fresh flavors of the dill and lemon zest. The sliced almonds lend some texture to this otherwise tender dish of sautéed zucchini hearts (that’s my official name for the leftover zucchini cylinder). I don’t know how well, or long, the zucchini center will last if stored in the fridge as-is, so my advice is to cook this up immediately. You can always heat the dish when ready to eat, or just enjoy it cold, from the fridge. I’m thinking it would be a lovely addition to summer picnics, too!

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Five Years Ago: Cheddar Dill Butter

Four Years Ago: Roasted Rhubarb Jam

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One Year Ago: Daybreak