Gluten-Free Zucchini Pasta Primavera

© 2014 Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All rights reserved. Pasta primavera is Italian for springtime pasta, with a focus on bountiful spring veggies. Rather than being light, most versions of pasta primavera include a rich cream and Parmesan sauce over pasta – no one's definition of healthful! Replace the pasta with zucchini "noodles" and create a "cream" sauce made of cashew butter to transform this dish into a slimmer, sexier version of its former self.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Yields: 4

Ingredients

• 2  cups broccoli florets
• 3  tablespoons olive oil
• 3⁄4 cup  sliced onion
• 4  garlic cloves, minced
• 2  cups  sliced white mushrooms
• 1  cup  sliced carrot
• 1  cup  sliced red bell pepper
• 1  cup  unsalted chicken stock
• 3  tablespoons smooth cashew butter
• 2  teaspoons lemon juice
• 1  teaspoon Dijon mustard
•  sea  salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1  lb zucchini, cut into long strands

Directions

1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add the broccoli and cook until bright green, tender-crisp and slightly undercooked, 2 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, carrots and peppers, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are fork tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Combine with the broccoli.
3. Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a medium saucepan; immediately reduce the heat to low and whisk in the cashew butter until the mixture is smooth. Stir in 1 teaspoon of the lemon juice and the mustard, and season with salt and pepper. Gently toss with the vegetables.
4. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over high heat; add the zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Serve the zucchini "pasta" topped with the vegetables.