Recipe: Zucchini and cashew pasta

(With strips of zucchini and tossed raw cashews, this veg. pasta makes an interesting starter for party)

 Ingredients:

For Pasta:

1 packet of pasta of choice

4 large zucchinis

2 cups of fresh green peas

½ cup of finely chopped red bell peppers

½ cup of finely chopped yellow bell peppers

1 peeled and finely chopped carrot

1 cup of cherry tomatoes cut in quartered pieces

2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley

2 teaspoons of lemon zest

Salt and pepper to taste

Grated Parmesan cheese

For the sauce:

1 cup of raw cashews (soaked for two hours and rinsed thoroughly)

¾ cup water

½ teaspoon coconut nectar

1 clove of roughly chopped garlic

¼ cup of lemon juice

Method:

- Add the pasta, salt and a couple of drop of oil  in a saucepan containing boiling water.  Boil till it is tender

-In a large bowl, peel one cm wide strips of zucchinis so that it resembles pencil shavings.  You can do so using a vegetable peeler.  Add peas, bell peppers, carrots, tomatoes, basil, parsley, lemon zest, salt and pepper.  Toss all these ingredients well into a salad and set aside.

-Prepare the sauce by using a blender on high speed to mix cashews, water coconut nectar, and garlic and lemon juice into a smooth paste.  Add salt to teaste.

- Lay out the pasta in a serving dish.  Add a layer of Zucchini salad on it.   Put a layer of sauce over the salad.

-Garnish with the grated Parmesan cheese. It should be served with garlic bread.

 pic courtesy:http://theeightytwentyrule.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/photo-2.jpg