Sunday was another brilliantly pleasant last-chance-to-relax sort of day. (Notice how I’m moving slowly on the recaps here? I’m trying to pace myself so that I have some buffer when work piles up again!)
The project of the day was a variation of Gena’s raw zucchini alfredo since I loved it so much last time I made it.
I started by using a peeler to make carrot and CSA zucchini noodles.
Next, I used a knife to make CSA broccoli-stalk noodles and CSA bok-choy-stalk noodles:
I collected arugula and basil from my balcony garden and added those after a thorough chop.
Then, I figured I might as well throw in as much as I could, so I added CSA boy choy leaves, CSA snap peas, and CSA “braising greens” (which were tender enough to eat raw, incidentally), and sauteed CSA garlic scape. Can you tell I love my CSA?
I mixed my “noodles” with balsamic vinegar, toasted sesame oil, my mom’s herb-infused olive oil, coarse sea salt, lemon juice, and freshly ground coriander and transferred the bowl to the fridge for some marination time.
Meanwhile, I started on the cashew alfredo sauce … but since I had no cashews, I decided to give it a go with these jumbo brazil nuts from OhNuts!:
They were definitely jumbo!! Check out this comparison to a lowly sunflower seed:
I gave a cup of the nuts a coarse crush, covered them in water, and moved them to a fridge for a few hours to soak.
After the soak, I poured out most of the water (to save for later!) and kept about 1/3 cup in the bowl with the nuts to facilitate a heavy-duty immersion-blending session.
Once the nuts were pretty much processed, I started to add everything I could find: juice and pulp of 2 lime slices along with 1/4 cup spicy adobo sauce left from Rosalie and Rosey’s lunch last Thursday at work, 1 tsp date bliss, coarse sea salt, a few packets of soy sauce left from a roommate’s chinese food takeout, toasted sesame oil … is that it?
I blended and blended and blended some more, gradually adding about another cup of water until my sauce was smooth. I finger-licked my way through a few adjustments until everything tasted perfect. I was not sure how the brazil nuts would fare since they are less naturally sweet than the cashews, but this sauce tasted excellent!
In the midst of all the marinating and soaking time for my noodles and sauce, I kept myself busy enough with other things! I started the day with a bowl of my overnight mapley-date-flax oats:
I filled half the bowl with the oats topped with raisins and the other half with yogurt topped with CSA blueberries. I added a spoonful of date bliss and a sprinkle of cinnamon to the top:
For lunch, I sampled my way across the Slope from Union Market to Blue Apron Foods to the other Union Market and then made a quick pit-stop at home for half of a cucumber with hot mango chutney-yogurt dip:
(I know I already talked about how I love the hot hot spicy sweetness of this chutney, but I also need to mention that it has huge chunks of delicious mango in it, too. I’m going through this little jar so fast!)
I finally settled down with a light caramel frappucino at Starbucks (everything else was closed!) so that I could play email catchup:
Then I got home just in time to put the finishing touches on my dinner and settle in for my feast π
I guess my final dish is more like a salad than noodles since I added so much, but it’s still delicious!
The sesame and soy flavors really come through and make an excellent cold sauce, and there’s still the spicy heat from the adobo. I may have to plan a day where I just eat this for every meal!
There was dessert, too, but that will have to be the star of another day π
Do you say “noodle” or “pasta” or something else altogether? Do you use “noodle” to refer to anything aside from food? i.e. You’re such a noodle … or I spent the day just noodling around … or I love floating in the pool with a noodle …
This is a great “pasta” dish. I do love those pool noodles! π
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What an awesome looking meal, Sarah! I might have to tweak my recipe to use brazil nuts next time — I have a great recipe that utilizes them, which I’ll post soon…
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That meal looks awesome and it’s totally encouraging me to try the whole ‘nut sauce’ thing. (hehe, couldn’t help but laugh!)
I remember pool noodles!! So much fun π I don’t think I say ‘noodle’ nearly enough – I think it’ll have to appear more frequently in my vocabulary from now on π
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that sauce sounds so good!
i say noodle, but not usually in normal everyday conversations π
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I went to elementary school with a British kid who used “noodle” as an insult – i.e., “you’re a stupid noodle!” – noone really got it!
LOVE your csa salad!!!! yum yum yum.
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Yum! We used to get Brazil nuts in a special nut sampler each Christmas. It has been ages since I’ve had one. I remember that they were very milky tasty compared to other nuts. I’ll bet they were awesome in this recipe!
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Looks delicious! I say pasta- noodles in my mind means Chinese noodles as opposed to spaghetti-type noodles. And no, I never use noodle for non-food purposes unless I am trying to rhyme with ‘poodle’ π
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oh! your “noodles” look RIDICULOUSLY good!! I’m super jealous of your skillz. haha I’m coming for dinner end of story haha just kidding
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So, when am I coming over to eat that? π
I love noodles and pasta. I think everyone should use these words more often.
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oh that sauce looks so bangin! yummmm. and i can make it now that i have a FP!
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We have the same gmail background! Love the pretty, pink flowers! π
And those brazil nuts are huge! That’s why I love ’em….more bite in each piece, haha!
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I really want to try that zucchini alfredo dish. It looks amazing!
I love the caramel sauce on that light frappucino. It’s so delicious!
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Great eats! I really want to try that raw “pasta.” It looks fabulous.
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Love the raw meal!
I always say pasta and never use the word noodle in normal conversation. My Dad uses it to mean brain though. Like, “use your noodle!”
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I dont’ say noodle….however i do say Poodle, a lot….as in “ohhh hi poodle!” π
I’m hearing rumors of CB hitting the NY streets liiike July 24 ish??? I’ll keep ya posted..
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Genius! I never would have thought to use Brazil nuts for an alfredo-esque sauce.
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i am so behind on the recapping too! and the commenting!!! i am reading but MAN things are busy, huh? your sauce experiment looks like a huge success. i love all your creations!!
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that pasta dish looks delicious!!! Can u cook it for me?! that sauce seems amazingly good!!! I am jealous of you CSA, so many fresh produce!!!
oh….. I like your gmail theme btw, i’m going to change mine now! π
relaxing Sunday feels great, isn’t it?!
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Marination time is a wonderful concept – looks freakin awesome.
In Japan our senior executives always downplay their role and call themselves little peanuts and refer to their superiors as the big noodles. Humility is encouraged.
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