Recipe of the week: Courgetti Arrabiata

Wondering how to make courgetti? Raw, vitamin-packed strips of courgette are a healthy, gluten-free alternative to spaghetti. This recipe from Culture Whisper's resident food and nutrition expert Stephanie Achar is a simple, tasty way to cut down on carbs and reach your five a day.

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COURGETTI ARRABIATA

This raw food version of spaghetti can be served as a simple salad or as a main. It's a low-calorie and gluten-free alternative to pasta and easy to make if you have the right tools (though even a simple vegetable peeler will suffice).

Not only is it satisfying, but it's also packed with vitamins. Once you've mastered Courgetti, you can use the same technique with other kinds of vegetables, including carrots, sweet potatoes, celeriac or turnip.


INGREDIENTS

Serves 2


For the courgetti:

4 courgettes

A few sun-dried tomatoes, a handful of chopped fresh basil, pitted black olives and pumpkin seeds or toasted pine nuts to serve



For the raw arrabiata:

1 organic tomato

1 red pepper

6 sun-dried tomatoes

1 garlic clove

1 tbsp cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

A good pinch of dried chilli flakes or ½ red chilli de-seeded

Sea salt and black pepper to taste




METHOD

You don't need to buy a spirilizer to make courgette spaghetti. A julienne peeler is cheap and will do the same job or a vegetable peeler will make nice shaved pieces of courgette.

For the arrabiata sauce, blend all the ingredients until smooth.

Add as much sauce to the courgette as you’d like and mix well. Top up with a handful of chopped fresh basil, sundried tomatoes, pitted black olives and toasted pine nuts or pumpkin seeds.

You can also serve this dish with salmon or grilled chicken. Enjoy!

TIP A homemade pesto is also a great alternative to the arrabiata sauce.

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Raw; vegan; vegetarian; free from gluten, dairy and refined sugar

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Stéphanie Achar: Simple and Healthy



Stéphanie Achar is a qualified nutritional therapist and health coach based in South West London. She is collaborating with Culture Whisper to create a series of seasonal, wholesome and nutritionally balanced recipes.

Find more recipes or book a free nutrition consultation with Stéphanie on her website, www.simpleandhealthy.com