Cashew Garlic Zucchini Pinwheels

Cashews.  Garlic. Cilantro.  All of the best flavors wrapped in browned zucchini.  This makes a great appetizer and is an awesome crowd pleaser.

It feels like spring time in my neck of the woods and that always gives me mixed feelings….mostly because I’m a mom.  Because spring time means my kids will soon have yet another grade completed and will be one year closer to leaving our nest and making it out in the real world.  In a way, I feel more sad about the school year coming to a close than when New Year’s rolls around.  Fresh air, blossoming trees, and birds chirping is yet another reminder that my children are a year older,a year smarter I hope, and I’m a year wiser I hope.

But spring time is also a gentle reminder to plant those seeds for a prolific summer garden.  And even if growing your own crops isn’t on your to-do list, farmers far and wide are doing just that so look for summer squash at a farmer’s market near you. 🙂

Zucchini is such a versatile vegetable, wouldn’t you agree?  It can be added into sweet treats like brownies and breads, and can also be made into savory appetizers such as this one.  There’s so many different ways to prepare zucchini that even with an overabundance of this summer squash, you can be creative and make yet another dish.

What I love the most about these pinwheels, is the cashew and garlic filling.  To maximize health benefits of cashews, I suggest taking the extra step of soaking and dehydrating them first.  As strange as it sounds, soaking nuts actually enhances nutrient bio-availability and increases enzyme action.  It’s not difficult to do, just some thinking ahead and an extra step.  You can easily skip this step and use regular cashews.

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Soaking Cashews

Cover cashews with filtered water so that all nuts are completely submerged.  Add 1/2 tablespoon of Celtic Sea Salt.  Loosely cover with a tea towel or cheesecloth and allow to stand on the counter for 6 hours.  Rinse nuts to remove salt residue and spread out in single layer on a tray to dehydrate at 150F degrees for 12-16 hours or until nuts are slightly crispy.  I use THIS dehydrator but an oven can also be used in a pinch.  Just keep in mind that it’s important to dry nuts and seeds at low temperatures to preserve the fragile nutrient profile so 150F degrees is the maximum heat that you’d want to use.  Most ovens come preset with a low temperature closer to 200F degrees so you may need to consult your oven manual to override that base temperature.  I typically have a “Nut Day” where I soak all my nuts (our favorites are pecans, cashews, and almonds) in separate bowls and then dehydrate them all in one shot.  This way, I have nuts ready to go whether to eat them by the handful or be used in recipes.

These directions are adapted from Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon.  I highly recommend getting a copy for reference to traditional eating.

Cashew Garlic Zucchini Pinwheels

Using a sharp knife, slice zucchini lengthwise with 1/4″ width. Heat butter in a large frying pan (I used THIS one) over medium-high heat until slightly browned.  Arrange zucchini strips on pan and cook until browned, about 2-3 minutes.  Being careful not to splatter, flip the strip and cook the other side, an additional minute or two.  Set aside on paper towels to absorb excess fat.  Cook the remaining strips in the same manner.

In a food processor, pulse cashews, cilantro, garlic, sour cream, and salt to combine well.  Pour olive oil through spout and continue to pulse until it forms a smooth consistency of a thick paste.  Add more olive oil as needed.

Spread two tablespoons of cashew mixture on each strip and carefully roll into a pinwheel.  Do this for the remaining ingredients.  Best enjoyed immediately but can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.  I tend to find that garlic gives an off-taste when stored for long periods of time, regardless of the recipe.  That’s why as a general rule, I don’t like to store anything with garlic for more than three days.

What’s your favorite way to enjoy zucchini?

5.0 from 2 reviews

Cashew Garlic Zucchini Pinwheels

 

Serves: 10

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 40 mins

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Ingredients

• 2 zucchini, sliced lengthwise into ¼" strips
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1½ cups raw, whole cashews
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 6-8 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 tablespoon olive oil + more to get right consistency
• ½ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

1. Heat the butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until lightly browned. Arrange zucchini strips on pan and cook until browned (2-3 minutes). Flip and cook the other side (additional 1-2 minutes). Set aside on paper towels to absorb excess fat. Continue with the remaining zucchini strips.
2. In a food processor, pulse raw, whole cashews, cilantro, garlic, sour cream and sea salt to combine well. Pour olive oil through spout and continue to pulse until it forms the consistency of thick paste. Add more olive oil as needed.
3. Spread about 2 tablespoons of cashew mixture on each strip and carefully fold over to create a pinwheel. Do this for the rest of the ingredients.
4. Best eaten immediately but can be refrigerated up to 3 days.

Notes

Soaking Cashews (optional)
Cover raw cashews with filtered water so that all nuts are completely submerged. Add ½ tablespoon of Celtic Sea Salt. Loosely cover with a tea towel or cheesecloth and allow to stand on the counter for 6 hours. Rinse nuts to remove salt residue and spread out in single layer on a tray to dehydrate at 150F degrees for 12-16 hours or until nuts are slightly crispy.

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