Go ahead: Dive into the veggie noodle world with 'zoodles'

Vegetable "noodles" are super trendy, and summer is the best time to make them since the king of veggie noodle -- zucchini -- is ubiquitous, and inexpensive.

Go ahead and load up, because zucchini is a true powerhouse of vitamins. One cup provides over a third of your daily vitamin C, and about 10 percent of five additional vitamins and minerals, and weighs in at under 20 calories.

While "zoodles" are easily the most popular noodle, noodles can be made from a variety of vegetables. Try other summer squashes, winter squash such as butternut, beet, carrot, sweet potato, and parsnips. Veggie noodles are easy to make, too. You can buy an inexpensive spiralizer to make quick work of cutting perfectly-shaped noodles.

Or, you can even use your vegetable peeler to shave long, thin ribbons from your vegetables; no special equipment needed. Cooking the noodles is quick: usually by steaming or sauteeing briefly. Some veggies, like summer squash, can be left completely raw if you want, and made into a cold summer noodle-like salad.

If you have been seeking the perfect recipe to dip your toe in the veggie noodle world, today's recipe is perfect. Sunshine Vegetable Ribbons can be made in mere minutes using only a vegetable peeler and a pan as equipment. The flavors are bright and familiar: a little garlic, lemon, toasted pine nuts and nutty parmesan cheese.

Zucchini is seen at the Cape Farmer's Market Thursday at West Park Mall in Cape Girardeau.Andrew J. Whitaker

Serve this as a pretty first course, as a side dish or even as a vegetarian main course with a thick slice of crusty Italian bread on the side. Once you've mastered the vegetable peeler noodle, get creative and explore the endless options for this new technique, swapping in vegetables for pasta in your favorite recipes.

Sunshine Vegetable Ribbons

Servings: 4

Start to finish: 15 minutes

• 2 large carrots, peeled
• 2 crookneck squashes (yellow summer squash)
• 2 zucchini
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
• 1 ounce parmesan cheese, shaved into shards with a vegetable peeler
• Lemon zest or fresh herbs for garnish, optional
• kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Use a vegetable peeler to shave long, thin ribbons (like flat noodles) of the vegetables. (You will likely have a thin core remaining of each vegetable that you'll have to use for another purpose.)

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large saute pan. Add the garlic and saute for one minute, until fragrant. Add the vegetable ribbons, a pinch of salt, and stir. Add the lemon juice and cover with a lid for just one minute (or longer if you want very soft ribbons). Remove the lid, and remove from heat.

Serve on four plates, topped with pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, black pepper and lemon zest or fresh herbs, if desired.

Nutrition information per serving: 128 calories; 66 calories from fat; 7 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 6 mg cholesterol; 408 mg sodium; 13 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 7 g sugar; 6 g protein.