One of the small joys I get every day is reading the search terms used to find Keepin' It Kind. The lovely and humorous Abby, of Abby Has Issues, sometimes reveals on Facebook the wild search terms used to find her site, and though mine are not nearly as crazy as hers, they do put a little smile on my face. I want to take the time to address a few of my favorites (mind you, these all have a minimum of two hits per term).
To the people asking "is spaghetti squash for good or evil": Well, aside from the time spaghetti squash stole my favorite sweater, I have no evidence of it being evil. I would have to say spaghetti squash is good, but with a mischievous side. A misunderstood prankster, but definitely not for evil.
To the people searching for "cool shit to do in the kitchen": Thank you? Have you seen my Recipes?
To the people stalking a fellow blogger/friend and constantly wondering if she's in a relationship (fellow blogger, you know who you are): Ask her yourself. This is starting to feel too much like high school.
To the people looking for "Nutritional Yeast Pizza Muffins": Uh, marry me!
To the people wondering "can I pack a blender in my suitcase to Maui": I'm not really the authority on that sort of thing, but I can tell that I like you already. You're a real "planner-aheader" and I like that about you. Don't worry about what the TSA says- you go girl! Get your pina colada smoothie on!
To the people searching for "because Will Arnett is a tool": I don't think we can be friends anymore.
And to the nearly 2000 people who have been searching for "Zucchini Pasta": I've got your fix right here! Recently, one of our quick, go-to meals is a Mediterranean salad with tomatoes, artichokes, cucumber, capers, and chickpeas, tossed with a grain (sometimes quinoa, sometimes farro, sometimes millet), some lemon juice, dill and basil. Recently however, out of spiralizer envy, I purchased a spiralizer to make gorgeous zucchini pasta to stuff in my face share with you all. The stars aligned and my CSA sent me some gorgeous mexican squash/zucchini and cherry tomatoes at relatively the same time I that received my spiralizer. I couldn't wait to make my favorite go-to salad, replacing the grain with some beautiful, curly zucchini pasta.
If you don't have a spiralizer, you can just as easily thinly slice your zucchini into ribbons, and it will be just as gloriously delicious. This is the perfect salad for these warm, late summer nights. From the juicy cherry tomatoes, the zestiness from the lemon and dill, the sharp saltiness of the capers, to the nuttiness of the chickpeas- every bite screams "I'm light and fresh and bursting with flavor." To all of you searchers of zucchini pasta, this one's for you.
Ingredients
- 2-3 large zucchini
- 1 15 oz. can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 15-20 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 5-6 artichoke hearts (from a jar or can), thoroughly rinsed and quartered
- 1/3 of a cucumber, halved and very thinly sliced (I used a mandoline)
- 2-3 tablespoons capers, rinsed
- 1/4 cup basil chiffonade
- 1 tablespoon dried dill
- juice from 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- salt (for sprinkling on zucchini pasta)
Instructions
- Run your zucchini through your spiralizer, following manufacturer’s instructions. If you do not have a spiralizer, thinly slice into ribbons (preferably using a mandoline). Put your “pasta” into a colander over your sink or another container and lightly salt. This will help the zucchini let go of its moisture and get a little more soft. Toss to combine and set aside while you make your salad.
- In a bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients (minus the zucchiniand salt). Toss to combine and chill for about 10 minutes.
- Divide your zucchini pasta amongst 2-4 plates. Top each plate of pasta with a generous helping of the Mediterranean salad (around 1 – 1 1/2 cups). Serve immediately and enjoy!
Need more zucchini pasta? Check out my Zucchini Pasta with Pesto & Mushrooms!
Keepin' It Kind is participating in the Walk for Farm Animals to give hope to millions of abused and neglected farm animals! Please support me by making a Donation today. Together we can make the world a more compassionate place for animals! Learn more about Why I am Walking for Farm Animals and join our team!
Photography by Chris Miller
Caitlin
i have been wanting to get a spiralizer SO BADLY and this makes me want one a bizillion times more now. this salad looks light and DELICIOUS and i love that there are chickpeas in it!! ps- i want to know what blogger has a stalker who is trying to figure out if she's single. and pss- i loved all of those searches! anyone who thinks will arnett is a tool is not my friend, either. i love him SO MUCH.
keepinitkind
Thank you, Caitlin! I knew there was a reason I liked you- Will Arnett fans must stick together! 😉 I got my spiralizer from Amazon for about $30, and it does the job just fine, though I'm not totally thrilled with it. I would give it a "B."
I don't want to reveal this other blogger's identity because I don't know if it's something she would want me sharing. I told her about it when I started noticing it. I just want to respect her privacy. 🙂
Melissa
This dish looks sooo good! I really can't wait to try it. Those searches are amazing and I'm so glad you answered all those people's burning questions!
Will Arnett is hilarious and spaghetti squash has always been friendly to me. Wait, maybe it's just mean behind our backs?!
keepinitkind
Thank you, Melissa! Will Arnett is just the best- I adore him. And I don't know about that spaghetti squash question. I mean, really? Where do people come up with this stuff! 🙂
Heather
Hahahhaha this was awesome - I was cracking up over here!
Um and yes lets talk about this pasta- amazing!!! I really need a spiralizer, I just don't think it is the same ribboned 🙁
keepinitkind
Thanks Heather! I was cracking up quite a bit while writing it. 🙂
Ribboned is good, but you're right- spiral zucchini pasta is a bit better. The spiralizer was a great investment since I know I'll use it a lot, and it was only $35 on amazon. There are some improvements that could be made, but overall a pretty decent product.
Heather
I bought a spiralizer at Bed Bath and Beyond a few months ago but the "spirals" it makes are super thick, like the size of curly fries. And I can't find a way to make them skinnier. I guess I need to get a different one? What kind did you get because we have zucchini coming out of our ears and I MUST make this!
Heather
P.S. This post is freaking hilarious.
keepinitkind
I'm so happy that you like the recipe, Heather! And thank you for featuring it on your blog! This is the spiralizer I got: http://www.amazon.com/World-Cuisine-A4982799-Tri-Blade-Vegetable/dp/B0007Y9WHQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345845342&sr=8-1&keywords=spiralizer , and it gets the job done, though there are some improvements that could be made on it. I would give it a "B." 🙂
Enjoy the pasta with your zucchini surplus and have a great weekend! xoxo
The Steaming Pot
I've recently started taking tentative steps towards cooking with zucchini (it is not so readily available in India), so this post was very welcome. Your recipe sounds like a great way to use the vegetable.
keepinitkind
Thank you so much! I'm so happy that you liked it! 🙂
Richa`
Seriously! cool shit to do in the kitchen..:D spagetti squash sure.. looks evil in a halloween costume
this post is super funny! and the zuke pasta. spiralizer envy!
keepinitkind
Yes, I'm sure spaghetti squash does look pretty nasty in a Halloween costume! Hahaha!
Thank you so much, Richa- I'm glad you liked the post and the recipe! Have a great weekend! 🙂
Gabby @ the veggie nook
Haha this post made me so happy for so many reasons ;). I love those search terms. And I like you, am a little personally offended that someone thinks Will Arnett is a tool. I think he's brilliant. "I've made a huge mistake" has been added to my vocabulary solely from his influence.
Lucky you with a spiralizer! And you're right, it totally makes for gorgeous meals! I want one so badly, but sadly, moving into a smaller kitchen soon doesn't quite make that feasible.
The flavours here remind me so much of a chickpea salad I used to make when i first went vegetarian. This is making me crave it!
Have a lovely weekend my dear 🙂
keepinitkind
Thank you, Gabby! We're pretty big Will Arnett fans here too. There are many "Gobisms" that we use as part of our regular way of communicating with each other. "I've made a huge mistake," "I dated a girl like that in high school...No, I didn't," and "Uh, you don't know a good bird hospital, do you?" are definitely some of our favorites. And we aren't above singing "I do it for you" every now and again.
I'm so excited for your move! Setting up a new kitchen is always exciting to me, even if it's smaller. Our current kitchen is about half the size of our old kitchen (and has black tile, but that's another story), but we somehow make it work. Thank heavens for IKEA! 😉
I hope you had a fabulous weekend! Talk to you soon! xo
Courtney Jones
*hehe* I love this post. People do search the craziest things! I had a whole bunch of people search "what do I do when my boyfriend cheats on me with my best friend" and get routed to The Fig Tree. I started to wonder...do they know something I don't know!? *HAH*
This pasta dish looks delicious. Love that you added artichokes and chickpeas. Two of my favourite things to add to salads and pastas. I'm going to make this for lunch this week. I have a ton go zucchini in the fridge to use up 🙂
keepinitkind
I do get such a laugh from these search terms. People are pretty funny. I can tell you, though, it has definitely made me rethink some of my search terms on occasion. 😉
Chickpeas and artichoke are two of the best things one can put in a salad, in my opinion! I hope you enjoy your lunch!
Alaine at My GF & DF Living
This looks seriously fantastic! I need a spiralizer!
keepinitkind
Thanks Alaine! Spiralizers aren't too pricy- I would check out amazon for some good deals. 🙂
Bex @ Vegan Sparkles
bahaha, ohhh this post had me in giggle fits, Kristy!
I have been getting that potential stalker / relationship police person hitting my site up for info on a fellow blogger, too! You've just reminded me to tell her. Unluckily for the searcher, I live on the other side of the planet. 😉
This salad looks soooo gorgeous and refreshing! I've been using a julienne peeler but your spirals look so pretty, I think I need to invest!
keepinitkind
Thanks, Bex! I was in giggle fits just writing this post! That is too funny that you've been getting the relationship police too! People just crack me up! 🙂
Somer
I keep getting the -not nearly as funny- search term "Is vegemite clean?" Well, no, it's dirty you fool 😉
Love the humor AND the salad, seriously need the spirooli or spiralizer or one of it's relatives now. AND to the loser that thinks that Will Arnett is a tool. You're a tool! 😉
keepinitkind
hahaha! People can be so funny! 🙂
Though the spiralizer I purchased could use some improvements, it does what it's supposed to and it was inexpensive. It's totally worth the investment. 🙂
Cadry
Congrats on the new spiralizer and sorry for any unnecessary envy I may have caused! 😉 I love this post! Too funny! I always enjoy reading to David the random way that people find my blog. The ones that make me laugh the most are the people who use complete sentences instead of key words like, "Is it okay to eat peanut butter while juicing?" That's one I actually got this week. Um, sure? Go for it! Have your peanut butter and cucumber juice too, I say!
A couple of my most common searches are "grinch small heart" and "shawarma." The Avengers really brought back the shawarma people with gusto, and now that Christmas is only months away, I'm sure the Grinch searchers will be back with fervor. I'm glad at least a few of your searchers have now received the answers for which they were searching! 😀
keepinitkind
Thank you and no worries about the spiralizer envy! It was just the kick in the butt I needed to go get one. 🙂
I do the same thing with Chris- reading him the search terms or the crazy spam comments. They're always good for a laugh. The full sentance search terms always get me too- these people know exactly what they are searching for and don't try to be vague about it at all. It's impressive. 😉
jess
aren't search terms the best? that's actually where i go when i need a little smile or a pick-me-up 🙂
this salad is awesome! i finally got myself a spiralizer too and although it hasn't completely lived up to my standards, it's certainly made for some fun dishes!
keepinitkind
Thanks Jess! Those search terms and the spam comments are always there for when I need a good laugh. 🙂
I think my spiralizer could definitely use some improvements as well, but I'm pleased that it does what it's supposed to and wasn't expensive. It is such a fun toy! 😉
Melissa
First of all - where are you getting the search terms? Through your analytics? If so, I need to pay more attention to mine! Second - this looks gorgeous! I got my first spiralizer (the Joyce Chen) earlier this summer, yet the bad ass world cuisine is on my wishlist. Needless to say, I've been obsessed with zucchini "noodles!"
keepinitkind
Thank you, Melissa! I've been a little obsessed too! 😉 On wordpress, the search terms show up with you stats. I haven't checked my google analytics in awhile, but I seem to remember that you can find them there too.
Elena
Wonderful recipe! Thank u. Looks so fresh and yummy!
David
I totally adore Mediterranean zucchini pasta salad, but I actually do it using goat feta crumbles instead of chickpeas. I usually like to venture my way through new recipes, so surely, I am going to give your recipe a try.
Doreen
You don't cook the zucchini?
keepinitkind
No, I don't.