If there’s one way to impress a new love interest, it’s cooking dinner from scratch. Homemade meals show you’re resourceful, you care enough to want to leave a good impression and you have a little creative spirit. Chicks dig that. (Okay, dudes do, too.) All you need is a signature dish, and this could be “the one.” Zucchini noodles are healthy in a too-good-to-be-true kind of way, while the Thai nut sauce is quick, easy and lends a cultural flair to the plate. Go the extra mile with a garnish of raw cashew nuts, fresh basil leaves and your date’s favorite protein. Real silverware and grown-up plates go a long ways, too.
Thai Nut Sauce with Zucchini Pasta
Serves 6
Macros per serving: 308 calories | 7 g protein | 26 g fat | 18 g carbs | 3 g fiber | 7 g sugar
Ingredients
Zoodles
4-6 medium zucchinis
3 Tbsp. olive oil
Pepper to taste
Sauce
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
½ cup salt-free cashew butter
3 Tbsp. raw coconut aminos soy-free seasoning sauce
1 Tbsp. xylitol
Pepper to taste
Directions
- Wash and pat dry each zucchini. Using a spiralizer, spin zucchini into noodles, or use a knife to cut into thin strips.
- In a sauté pan over medium-low heat, add olive oil and zucchini noodles. Season with pepper, if desired. Sauté zoodles until al dente. Note: You can cook them longer if you want softer zoodles. Or, you can leave them raw (without the olive oil) if you like a good crunch.
- Set zoodles aside while you prepare the sauce. In a medium pot over low heat, combine all sauce ingredients. Cook slowly, while stirring constantly until smooth and well blended.
- Mix zoodles with sauce, top with raw, unsalted cashews and maybe some fresh basil if you have it.
Dinner is served!