Hi. My name is Shawnda and I have the blahs. Can I just put out my Halloween lights (I take back every bad thing I ever said about the suburbs) and start watching Nightmare Before Christmas over and over again?

Because I’d really like to just fast-forward to the fun part of the year. When it’s warm. And there’s sunshine and $350+ electric bills. And football.

All I wanted to do was chase away the gray-and-sads with a bowl full of spring for lunch.

All I wanted to do was feed the gray-and-sads with a bowl full of cookie dough ice cream for lunch. But there’s no cookie dough or ice cream in the house. Or cookies. Or potato chips. Or anything else starchy and crunchy with which I could self-medicate so vegetables it is.

Lunch today is courtesy of two of my latest – and still current favorite – kitchen purchases. A spiral vegetable cutter, which turns a pound of zucchini into spaghetti-like strands, and a 1/2 tsp of sodium citrate, which allows shredded havarti cheese to melt without breaking so it can beautifully coat the zucchini noodles.

I sauteed the zucchini noodles, tossed them with chopped ham and leftover peas, and sat down with a bowl of veggies coated in comforting, melty cheese. You won’t quite get the same opiate response that you’d get with a bowl of Blue Bell. But a bowl of Blue Bell wouldn’t have knocked out 2 servings of vegetables on the day either.

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Zoodles & Cheese with Ham and Peas

Zucchini noodles with havarti cheese sauce, ham, and green peas.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 407 | Fat: 19g | Fiber 7g | Protein 32g | Carbs 24g

Ingredients

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 lb zucchini, cut into spirals (I have this tool)
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 tsp sodium citrate
• 4 oz havarti, shredded
• 1 1/3 cup peas (if frozen, cook them in the microwave)
• 4 oz ham, chopped
• Salt
• Pepper

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil over high heat and add the zucchini noodles.
2. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes and then transfer to a strainer/colander in the sink (the zucchini will continue to lose water as it cools - you don't want that extra water in your lunch).
3. Wipe the pan clean and reduce heat to medium-low.
4. Stir together the water and sodium citrate in the pan until steaming.
5. Add the cheese and let heat for a minute, and then begin stirring. As the cheese melts, stir more frequently until uniform.
6. Heat the peas and ham for 1-2 minutes in the microwave (don't add them cold to the cheese sauce).
7. Add the zucchini and heated ham and peas to the cheese sauce, tossing to coat.
8. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Notes

Yields: 2 servings

Source: Confections of a Foodie Bride

Estimated time: 20 minutes