Raw food recipe: Zucchini Spaghetti with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

By Stanka Vukelić

Photos: Stanka Vukelić

Raw food recipe: Zucchini Spaghetti with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Last week, the Zucchini Spaghetti with Mediterranean Sauce were a huge hit; so you leave me no choice but to share with you another great sauce for your spaghettis.

This one is just as easy to make, but before getting started you’ll need to do some preparation. The first thing is, the sauce is made from cashew nuts, which need to be soaked overnight. The second thing is, we want to use fermented mushrooms.

For me, this is easier, because I usually have a glass of them in my fridge, but if you want to skip the seven-day fermentation process; you can use fresh mushrooms as well. Maybe you ferment the mushrooms for another time – because they are really awesome this way.

On mushrooms:

Did you know, that mushrooms, much like our skin, transform ultraviolet light from the sun into Vitamin D and continue to do so even after they have been harvested?

Vitamin D deficiency is common in the northern regions, especially during winter. Mushrooms exposed to the sun can provide as much vitamin D as a health supplement. For that, take the fungi out of their wrapping and leave them outside for half an hour before eating.

The health benefits of mushrooms combined with the probiotic properties of fermentation give us a powerful homemade superfood.

On fermentation:

There are several great reasons to start making and eating fermented foods. Eating fermented foods will introduce beneficial bacteria into your digestive system.

Probiotics in fermented food have shown to help slow or reverse some diseases, improve bowel health, aid digestion, and improve immunity! Gut bacteria and enough digestive enzymes help you absorb food better.

On spaghettis:

The spaghettis are made out of zucchini, but you can use also squash or carrot. There are quite a few ways you can turn zucchini into noodles. Some people use julienne peelers. You can also use an ordinary potato peeler.

The most popular tool with which to make vegetable noodles is a Vegetable Spiralizer (special spiral vegetable cutter). I’ve been using my mandolin. If using a mandolin, use the thickest blade setting possible. Pass the zucchini over the blade lengthwise to produce long slices (like on photo).

Preparing Zucchini Spaghetti with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Preparation time: 10 – 15 min.

Fermentation: 7 days (optional)

Ingredients for 2 people:

For spaghetti:

4 medium-sized zucchinis (approx. 25 oz/700g)

For sauce:

1 cup of cashew nuts soaked overnight

1/2 teaspoon of oregano

1/2 teaspoon of marjoram

1/2 teaspoon of Himalayan salt or other salt

2-3 medium garlic cloves (or as you like)

2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast

1/2 fresh-squeezed lemon

1 cup of fermented sliced champignon mushrooms or any other mushrooms

1/2 cup of water

Methods/steps –

1. Slice zucchini with a mandolin, use the thickest blade setting possible.

2. Mushrooms put aside, all other ingredients put into a blender.

4. Process until well combined and creamy.

5. In a bowl, mix the mushrooms, creamy sauce, and zucchini spaghetti together.

6. Let the finished dish sit for a few minutes; raw foods tend to combine much better for achieving this little ‘extra’ taste!

7. Serve. Yummy…….

Preparing fermented mushrooms –

(Thanks to Mirri Maine for the tip!)

Ingredients:

17 oz (1/2 kg) of mushrooms

1 teaspoon of sea salt

2 teaspoons of dill

1 fresh-squeezed lemon

16 -32 oz (1/2 – 1 l) of water

1 onion (size you like)

Methods/steps-

1. Chop mushrooms.

2. Dissolve sea salt in water.

3. Put ingredients in a mason jar ( I use a 54 oz (1.6 l jar)) or other vessel. You must leave two-inches of room at the top of the container for expansion inside the jar; otherwise the mushrooms will expand and can overflow.

4. Make sure the mushrooms are covered with water. If needed, add more water.

5. Seal the jar and cover everything with a towel. Allow this to ferment on your counter for seven days.

6. After 7 days, place the finished mushrooms in the refrigerator, or use it. It will last at least 9 months or longer in the fridge.

Options: Place one of the larger outer leaves of a cabbage over the surface of the sliced mushrooms. This will help keep the mushrooms stay submerged in the water.

“This post is shared at RAW FOODS THURSDAYS”

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