Zucchini Pesto "Noodles" & Garlic Ginger Pork Chops

My friend Beth gave me these four zucchinis from her summer garden.

Instantly, I thought of making Zucchini Noodles that look and taste like real pasta noodles.

(Don't tell the kids they're really eating a vegetable!)

First, mix up my basic pesto recipe.

I turn the zucchini into "noodles" using this scoring tool:

I bought it by mistake in a kitchen store at our outlet mall. I thought it was a regular vegetable scraper, but look close and you'll see those sharp thingies that you scrape along the zucchini.

It scores the veggie into lovely "noodles".

I keep the dark skin because I like the nutrition, but if you want them to look and taste more like real noodles, peel the zucchini first and you'll get noodles that look like this:

(The kiddies would never know they're not eating the real thing!)

If you don't have this scoring tool, simply use your regular vegetable scraper and create noodles like this:

(That's how I made them before I scored the nifty scoring tool.)

Keep scoring until you see the seeds.

I cook my "noodles" in a vegetable steamer:

If you don't have one, simply put a few inches of water in a dutch oven and steam noodles in your metal colander with the dutch oven lid on top like this:

Or you can saute the zucchini in a sauce pan with a little butter or olive oil.

Once heated through...takes only minutes...

add a blob of pesto and stir to coat.

Pesto Zucchini Noodles make a great side dish.

You can also sprinkle them with fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

I made them for dinner this week and served them with my friend Debbie's great recipe for

Garlic Ginger Pork Chops

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 TBS minced garlic (I use the kind in a jar for ease)

1 tsp. powdered ginger (You can chop up the fresh stuff for awesome flavor, but I never had time for that)

The longer you marinate, the better the taste. Try marinating overnight.

But, in haste, I have also brushed on the marinade and plopped them on the grill immediately.

Yep, TWO servings of vegetables in this meal!