CREAMY ZUCCHINI NOODLE SALAD

This no-cook dish uses avocado and mango for a vegan dressing on zucchini noodles.

If you don’t have a spiralizer, you can easily create the noodles with a vegetable peeler and a sharp knife.

4 ounces cremini mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced 2 tablespoons fresh

lemon juice 10 no-salt-added sundried tomatoes (oil- or dry-packed)

3 pounds zucchini (4

medium-large) Flesh of 1 ripe avocado Flesh of 1 small ripe

mango

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves,

plus more for garnish 1/4 cup fresh cilantro or

parsley leaves 2 scallions, trimmed and

thinly sliced 2 tablespoons fresh lime

juice

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt,

or more as needed 1 cup cherry tomatoes,

cut into quarters

1/4 cup chopped fresh

chives 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped (see NOTE)

Toss the mushrooms with the lemon juice in a mixing bowl and let them sit for 20 to 30 minutes. (This keeps them from being dry without cooking them.)

If your sun-dried tomatoes are not packed in oil, soak them in a cup of water for at least 20 minutes, then drain and squeeze out extra liquid. If they’re oil-packed, blot off extra oil with paper towels and skip the soaking. Cut into ½-inch pieces.

Turn the zucchini into noodles using a spiralizer or a vegetable peeler. When you use the spiralizer, you may need to cut the noodles into manageable lengths; otherwise you’ll end up with super-long noodles that are difficult to separate into portions. If you use a vegetable peeler, cut off long wide strips, then cut the strips lengthwise into thin noodles.

Combine the avocado, mango, basil, cilantro or parsley, half the scallions, the lime juice and the salt in a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth. Taste, and add more salt, as needed.

Drain the mushrooms and return them to the bowl; add the zucchini noodles, cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes and dressing, tossing to incorporate. Divide among plates and top with the chives, the remaining scallions, the toasted walnuts and a few more basil leaves. Serves 4.

Note: Toast the walnuts in a small, dry skillet over medium-low heat for several minutes until fragrant and lightly browned, shaking the pan to avoid scorching. Cool completely before using. Nutrition, per serving: 280 calories, 10 g protein, 31 g carbohydrates, 17 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 200 mg sodium, 9 g dietary fiber, 20 g sugar

Adapted from “Vegan Reset: The 28-Day Plan to Kickstart Your Healthy Lifestyle,” by Kim-Julie Hansen (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018).