I’ve written about personal things a couple of times here and each time I find myself surprised by the acceptance and embrace of my readers. I’m still young in this blog world, and still trying to find my voice. But it’s such a relief to know that I can just be me, whoever that is. So before I talk about this Zucchini Fettuccine and Cauliflower Alfredo, I’d love to be candid for a few minutes.
This week has been a tough one, for a multitude of reasons, some that are lame, others that are legit, and hard. As a result of a combination of things, I found myself burned out. Tired. Ready for rest. Ready for something…easy. And the truth is the very last thing I felt like doing was getting a post together. Yet I felt this responsibility to do one. I typically try to post on Monday or Tuesday and again on Friday. But Sunday night came and went, than Monday, and finally, although it was a half-hearted effort, I got a post together Tuesday night to share on Wednesday.
I started this blog as a creative outlet {aside from Interior Design}, to explore and challenge myself in the kitchen, and to share the things I’ve learned about eating clean with others. It is not a job. At this point, I make absolutely no money doing it. It is supposed to be fun. Yet I felt weighed down by the need to get a post ready, to finalize the recipe, to finish editing and selecting the pictures and worst of all, to find something to say. And the truth is, I was and am crazy about the Harissa Panini I posted. But the energy and gumption to share it wasn’t there.
In pondering this mood I couldn’t shake, I realized there is a lot going on right now. Things at my work are really busy, thus creating some stress. Josh and I have listed our house and are of course anxious with the outcome. And while we are pretty clean people, we are still extending a little extra effort on a daily basis to make sure the house is ready to be shown. Then there’s the things going on with my Mom’s health, {you can read updates here, final update here} and the difficulty and heartache we continue to go through, along with the weight of the decisions we need to make with what to do next. Then there is the blog, something I love, but also something that is time-consuming, partly because I love it so much.
It suddenly hit me that I haven’t done well with balance lately. I feel like a hypocrite. I talk about healthy eating on here, which I do the majority of the time, yet constantly find myself searching or reaching for chocolate or a sugary/salty snack, telling myself “I deserve this, it’s been a rough day”. Not that there’s anything wrong with some chocolate or a little treat, but eating it to fix your problems is not a good idea. Aside from the cravings, I find I haven’t done much in the way of exercise lately, nor have I taken the time to just rest. Where is the balance? Why can I not just sit and be still? Exist without the “to-do” list running through my head. Breathe
Aside from the fact that our bodies need this rest and balance, it’s also hit me that I don’t know how to just sit and be still before the Lord. That’s a scripture Josh has really been mediating on this past week and we’ve discussed a few times, the simplicity of the request, yet the difficulty.
Anyway, I don’t share any of this because I have big plans to change things here on the blog, but more so that I feel I am being honest and genuine with you. I don’t want to project a facade of someone who has it all together with a happy-go-lucky life. I don’t think that exists. Everyone has things they are working through – trials that are challenging and stretching them, but it’s important that we stop and realize it is up to us to determine how we handle and view those trials.
I still thoroughly enjoy the blog, I still get overly excited every time I have a new Facebook “Like”, a new follower on Pinterest, or a new subscriber to the weekly newsletters. While my time here has been brief, I’ve already “met” a lot of really great people, and I want to continue meeting others, hearing their stories and being inspired by them. What I do hope to do, is remind myself that balance is important, rest is important, time with my husband is important!
If you are still reading, thank you for listening, I somehow feel lighter for having shared this. Now, let’s talk about this Zucchini Fettuccine and Cauliflower Alfredo! I mentioned my spiralizer I got for Christmas when I shared the Sweet Potato Pad Thai, which was a huge success and now I’ve used it again to make this delicious zucchini pasta. But I didn’t want the veggies to stop there, so rather than making a traditional cream based Alfredo sauce, I gave the whole Cauliflower-Alfredo sauce a go! I’ve made this sauce a couple of times before, tweaking it a little each time, but I’m always amazed at the consistency the cauliflower takes on and it’s ability to mimic the Alfredo’s texture and rich garlicky flavor.
As I’ve recently fallen in love with Turmeric, I couldn’t help but toss a little in, and while I was doing it I realized it was going to change the color of my sauce. Oops, oh well! It tasted wonderful! And just incase you aren’t sure if you are getting enough vegetables with this one, through in a bit of fresh spinach for good measure!
Zucchini Fettuccine and Cauliflower Alfredo
Ingredients
- FOR THE SAUCE:
- 4 heaping cups cauliflower florets 1 small/medium cauliflower
- 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1/2 cup vanilla almond milk
- 2 tbsp flax-seed
- 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper to taste
- 1/2 tsp turmeric optional, will turn yellow/orange color!
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp Sriracha optional, adds a little kick
- FOR THE PASTA:
- 4-6 zucchini spiralized
- 3-4 cups raw spinach
- Garnish with Parmesan cheese and fresh herbs
Instructions
- Add cauliflower florets in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a low boil. Once boiling, cook for 5-6 minutes until tender. Drain water and set aside..
- Meanwhile, add the oil into a skillet and saute the minced garlic over low heat for 4-5 minutes until softened and fragrant, but not browned.
- In a high-speed blender or food processor, add the cooked cauliflower, sautéed garlic, milk, flax-seed, lemon juice, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, turmeric, dried herbs and Sriracha. Blend until a smooth sauce forms, approx 30 seconds to a minute to ensure texture is smooth and creamy with no lumps!
- Meanwhile, place zucchini in a medium-sized frying pan greased with coconut cooking spray and cook, while stirring, for 3-4 minutes or until zucchini takes on a cooked pasta texture, sorta wilted and soft. Careful not to overcook. About mid way through cooking the zucchini, add in the spinach and cook lightly until it is wilted.
- You can then add the cauliflower sauce into the same pan and stir to combine or you can serve the zucchini pasta up individually and top with desired sauce on each plate!
- Garnish with fresh herbs and Parmesan cheese.
Nutrition
Inspired by Oh She Glows .
