Zucchini Ribbons with Arugala Basil Pesto

When I am looking for the best HCG diet recipes I am looking for recipes that include clean foods.  Meaning no preservatives, no hormones, no additives, and nothing that comes from a box.  

 

I want whole real foods in their most natural state.  P3 is the same as any low carbohydrate, eat clean, heart healthy, diabetic friendly diet.  To make it even easier to understand you can break it down to no sugar and no starch.  Pretty simple.

 

Most of the time when dieters near the dreadful "P3" phase otherwise known as maintenance phase of the diet they get a little nervous and start thinking about what that means and how their lives will change now that they have become accustomed to limiting their food intake on the HCG Diet (P2) or otherwise known as the losing phase of the diet most often referred to as Dr. Simeon's HCG Diet Protocol. 

Many times the dieter is just afraid of more choices and not sure how they might respond to so many more options.  If that is you and you don't trust yourself you could just stick to the same foods you have been eating during P2 and  increase those foods as hunger levels rise.  Many dieters will double their P2 foods.  That doesn't work for me.  Once I get to P3 I like to add more options to my menu such as nuts and cheese without having to be as careful.

I have never been a big vegetable lover or supporter but the HCG diet has changed me.  When your food intake is really restricted you start getting creative with the things you CAN eat.  On the HCG diet the one thing you can be sure you CAN eat is lots of vegetables.  Adding more vegetables to my diet has me looking for new ways to make them more satisfying.

Zucchini Ribbon Pesto

2 large zucchini with ends cut off
1 cup of chopped walnuts
3/4 cup Pecorino or Parmesan cheese grated
1/2 cup fresh basil
1 cup fresh arugula
2 garlic cloves
4 Tablespoons of olive oil

juice of 1 lemon

Toast chopped walnuts in small pan and set aside

In a blender: add arugula, basil, 3/4 cup toasted walnuts, garlic, 1/2 cup Pecorino or Parmesan, olive oil, juice of 1 lemon

and blend

Use vegetable peeler to peel zucchini into long wide ribbons.  Peel down to the seeds and throw seeds and excess away.  Add ribbons of zucchini to pan on medium heat.  Lightly toss ribbons in olive oil.  You just want to barely heat zucchini, turn off heat.  Add pesto sauce that was set aside in blender and toss till blended.

Top with the remainder of your toasted walnuts, cheese, and salt and pepper to taste.