I don’t know about you but I am so stinking excited for summer’s arrival. Not just for better weather (errr, well, everywhere but in SF), but for the fresh and bountiful harvest the warmer months will offer.

For those few exceptionally hot days when turning on the stove is laughable, pour yourself a glass of ice cold rose and make this zucchini salad. Now, I should first clarify the actual name of this recipe from (MY FAVE!) Gluten-Free Girl Every Day cookbook is called Zucchini Noodles with Spinach Pesto, Feta and Sunflower Seeds. But let’s be real people, these are not noodles. Sure, they may be in the long skinny shape of a noodle but I would be suuuuper annoyed if I expected a noodle and got this instead. You’ve been warned. That said, these are delicious. They hit every note you hope for in a summer dish…bright flavors, healthy raw produce and a lighter meal overall. I followed the recipe in the book for spinach pesto but you could easily use your favorite store bought variety to save time. I also added extra lemon zest and salt at the end and felt it was a nice touch.

Zucchini Noodles with Spinach Pesto, Feta and Sunflower Seeds

• Use a vegetable peeler to slice zucchini into long ribbons, discarding the seeded core
• Add pesto of your choice
• Top with fresh feta (the kind that comes in liquid is usually WAY WAY better)
• Sprinkle with sunflower seeds

Oh, and before I let you go I must take a moment to tell you how wonderful this cookbook and it’s namesake have been for me personally as well as the world of food lovers (note, not just gluten-free food lovers). A few years ago out of nowhere I was punched in the face with an autoimmune disease. Long looong story short after a series of allergen tests I realized I felt significantly better and experienced less symptoms by eliminating gluten. At the time this felt like a death in the family. I was that attached to my favorite baguette from Metropolitan Market (it is crazy good and if you can eat gluten you should go buy it and tear a piece off for me, don’t remember the name but it’s like $8…stupid expensive but worth it). One of my best friends, Sarah, knew the toll this change would take on my life and bought me this book. I read it and was no longer afraid. The role Shauna and Danny are taking to show people the beautiful gluten-free food in this world is a gift and I am not the only one who thinks so. Just last month they were awarded a James Beard award for Gluten-Free Girl Every Day, the book this zucchini recipe is from. Gluten or not, do yourself a favor and check out Gluten-Free Girl.

pesto makings