Improvised Zucchini Con Aglio et Olio (vegan, paleo)

What do you do if you have a craving for something, but you’re missing pretty much all the ingredients? You improvise! Okay, maybe I improvise. Other people who are feeling less lazy may take a trip to the store. It’s not that the grocery store is so far. There are three grocery stores within a ten minute walk from here. I’m working an evening shift tonight and I want to sit on my bum until it’s time to go.

So I was craving spaghetti con aglio et olio today. That’s pasta with garlic and oil. It’s typically made by browning the garlic and a bit of crushed red pepper, then adding some cooked pasta with EVOO, and topping it all off with some fresh parsley. Out of all of these ingredients, what I did have on hand was the garlic and the EVOO, so I took matters into my own hands.

In an attempt to lower my carb consumption, I haven’t been buying much pasta. Since I’m not on a paleo diet, I do eat whole grains, but I can’t help but feel suspicious about brown rice that cooks in eight minutes. That’s not to say that I would refuse to eat brown rice pasta in an event that calls for actual noodles, but if I can opt for something more natural, I’ll do just that. Luckily, I had organic zucchini on hand. I used cayenne pepper instead of crushed red pepper, and dehydrated parsley flakes instead of the fresh alternative.

Improvised Zucchini Con Aglio et Olio (vegan, paleo)

Ingredients
2 zucchinis
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp dehydrated parsley flakes
A bit of oil for frying

Directions
Using a mandoline or a ton of patience, julienne the zucchinis into strips no thinner than 1/8 inch.

Heat a bit of oil over medium heat. Add in the garlic. Toss around until it becomes nice and brown. Add in cayenne pepper and toss for another 30 seconds. Throw in the julienned zucchini and the olive oil. Cook for another minute or two, just enough to soften the zucchini a bit without making it turn mushy. Add in the parlsey flakes and toss to spread evenly. Turn off the heat and serve.

Makes 1 serving