Fitness Friday: WW Zucchini Noodles with Tomato and Basil Cream Sauce

If you would have told me like last year that I’d make a recipe that I felt comfortable enough to photograph and share on the internet, I’d laugh until my head hurt and felt like it was splitting open in the back…lol. There was NO way I could make something that was tasty AND looked good. In the last few years I’ve been making some really delicious meals, but they looked like struggle…lol. “Looks like struggle, tastes like heaven” was my self-motto for my meals. But here I am not only sharing a recipe, but I’m also sharing pictures of my labor of love AND I’m actually outchea eating zucchini as noodles. ME the girl who damn near grew up on fried chicken wings and french fries from the time I could make my own food decisions.

I’ve been cooking for myself since I started doing Weight Watchers in 2014. I get almost 99.99% of my recipes from the Weight Watchers recipe gallery which is only open to members, but you might be able to find some of them on other sites and blogs. I’ve tried so many of these recipes over the years and it’s RARE that something I copy doesn’t taste great. I HAD to try the zucchini noodles in a cream basil sauce recipe after seeing the homey Trina from The Baby Shopaholic make some zoodles on her Instagram story.

Now, again, you’re talking to someone who could have considered fried chicken wings as their own food group at one point in her life, so when I tell you that this recipe tastes JUST LIKE penne a la vodka but is MUCH lighter and more flavorful, I mean it. You also don’t feel like you’re not eating pasta—of course the zucchini is slightly crunchier but if you like al dente pasta, it’s pretty similar in taste and texture. I bought my spiralizer from Amazon for like $18 but spiralizers run the gamut in size, quality, and pricing so if you’re thinking about getting one, make sure you research them carefully. I don’t know if I’ll be using a spiralizer forever so the Zalik 5-blade spiralizer works well enough for me for now—although I do have my eyes (and my taste buds) set on some Korean recipes that will involve spiralized veggies.

Spiralizer Demo:

(there *IS* sound on this video—I added music because it just seemed weird not to…lol. Mute your volume if you’re at work or somewhere public though)

Spiralizer Demo.mp4 from Danielle Gray on Vimeo.

Recipe

Ingredients
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small uncooked onion(s), chopped
2 clove(s), medium garlic clove(s), minced
14 1?2 oz canned diced tomatoes, not packed in juice
2 Tbsp water
1/4 tsp table salt
1?8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
18 oz uncooked zucchini, spiralized into 6 c; cut into 5-inch lengths
3 tbsp Weight Watchers Reduced fat whipped cream cheese spread
1/4 cup(s) basil, chopped
4 tsp grated Pecorino cheese

Instructions
Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until light golden and tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds.

Stir in tomatoes and water; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer 3 minutes.

Stir in salt and crushed red pepper; gently stir in zucchini. Increase heat to medium high; cook, tossing frequently, until zucchini is tender, 5 minutes.

Stir in cream cheese until melted; remove from heat. Stir in basil; sprinkle with Parmesan.

Serving size: 1 cup (2 points)

I added jumbo shrimp to mine for the added protein. I cooked them in half a teaspoon of butter in a small pan and sprinkled with a rustic herb seasoning that I found on a random trip to Stop N’ Shop. If you can’t find it, you can use a mix of oregano, basil, parsley—whether fresh or dried. Fresh ingredients are always preferred, but shoot, not everyone has the time or patience.

This also tastes amazing with the Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit mix (I got mine from Walmart). All you need for the biscuit mix is shredded sharp cheddar cheese, butter, and water. It tastes EXACTLY like the ones at the restaurant and only cost like $1.50 per box and you can make 10 biscuits per box. Stuff like this is why I will likely never spend my own money on restaurant food again…lol. Like seriously, eventually I want to be able to just invite my friends over and throw a dinner party for them.

P.S. Welcome back Fitness Friday! I won’t have an update EVERY Friday, but any fitness or food updates I have will typically be posted on Fridays.

Have you ever tried zucchini noodles? Would you? Tell me all about it in the comments!