Courgette Spaghetti with Roasted Tomatoes, Basil and Garlic

I keep hearing about the ease in which people switch from dairy to no dairy, sugar to no-sugar and carb to no-carb and I'm a little curious. Is it really that easy to change a life time of gluttonous tendencies by simply installing a painfully white kitchen and following American blogs? 

Perhaps by just switching a few classic carb recipes for healthy alternatives my body might forget about my love of bread, pasta and pizza? I'd say it is worth a shot. 

  They say courgette spaghetti will not leave you wanting: it is as filling as it's 00 flour partner and just as delicious. Well I've developed this recipe which is absolutely delicious and yes, I'd say, just as filling. 

COURGETTE SPAGHETTI WITH ROASTED TOMATOES, BASIL AND GARLIC

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

150g cherry tomatoes

4 cloves garlic, sliced

1 small red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced

1 tbsp olive oil

50g sunflower seeds

2 large Courgettes, (The longer the better!)

1 egg yolk

1 tbsb thick Greek yoghurt

A handful of basil, roughly chopped

Plenty of salt & pepper

DIRECTIONS

1/ Preheat the oven to 200C, fan 180C, gas 6. Cut half of the cherry tomatoes in half, and leave the rest whole. Empty the tomatoes, sliced garlic and chilli into a small roasting tin and drizzle over the olive oil. Shake well to coat and place in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.

2/ Meanwhile toast your sunflower seeds. Simply empty the seeds into a dry frying pan and cook over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes, swirling the pan regularly. Remove from the heat once the seeds have taken on some colour.

3/ Make your courgette spaghetti. Lay a box grater on its side and grate the length of the courgette into long worms. Try not to be firm, I’ve found a loose grip makes this easier.

4/ Bring a medium saucepan of water to the boil and add the courgette strips. Cook for 2-3 minutes before draining really well in a colander, gently squeezing any excess water away with the back of a spoon. Return to the pan and stir through the egg yolk followed by the tablespoon of yoghurt. Season well.

5/ Stir 2/3rds of the roasted tomato mixture and half of the seeds into the courgettes and divide between two plates. Top with the remaining tomatoes, toasted sunflower seeds, fresh basil and a good grating of black pepper. Serve straightaway.

House of Cuckoo

The keen eyed amongst you will notice I've developed a bit of a thing for vegetable cakes. It might be a combination of a two year old who doesn't eat their greens and an interest in reducing my butter intake (the vegetable's role is often to replace the fat, you see.)

I've made headway with developing a few recipes of my own but I've discovered it is House of Cuckoo that are really shaking the vegetable cake world. Veg that don't have much personality of their own become  a backdrop to intriguing and seriously delicious flavours: celeriac & ginger, cauliflower & lemon, butternut squash & almond. 

Started by two friends in 2011, House of Cuckoo, and it's eye catching packaging, is growing in stature. They are now available at lots of Waitrose's store for a fiver a box which is cheaper than a bottle of wine and surely more interesting? 

These are ideal for those of us with a worryingly sweet tooth & high cholesterol or, simply, an unhealthy love of cake.