Greek Marinated Zucchini Salad

This is me being healthy. I went through a bit of a zoodle obsession last year (evidence A and B) and I kinda sorta overdid it a little. So zoodles and I spent some time apart but now, we’re ready to get back together. And our first dinner to celebrate had to something Mediterranean.

When in doubt looking at a menu, I  ALWAYS go for a Greek salad. The crunchy cucumbers, sweet tomatoes, briny kalamata olives (the ONLY olive I’ll eat) and the creamy feta are what dreams are made of. I honestly don’t even need a dressing with a good Greek salad: the ingredients just speak for themselves. That and a warm piece of pita. And a Diet Coke. Back in NY, most of our diners were mainly Greek so when I think of diner food, I think of souvlaki with a Diet Coke. There are some dishes I just NEED to have a Diet Coke with. Pizza, yes. Greek food, yes. It’s a thing and it’s pure bliss.

Am I flying solo on that one?

It hit me the other week that in a few short months I’ll be in a wedding. Not mine, don’t worry. You hear about brides watching their diets and working out before their Big Day but never about bridesmaids. So it really didn’t hit me until after Christmas when I feasted on peanut butter blossoms that in a matter of weeks, I’d have to wear a dress and be in wedding photos. That will be around FOR ALL ETERNITY. No pressure.

I got back into Pure Barre and let me tell you, those workouts are kicking my butt. I hobble home and silently curse myself that I live in a third floor walkup. But it’s worth it because I love barre and the feeling of accomplishment I get when I walk out of the class. I am a goddess, hear me roar is pretty much the best way to sum up how I feel post-barre.

The other perk about barre is that it makes me want to cut out the junk food in my life. I KNOW. Tortilla chips and salsa is my significant other and I once penned an elaborate love letter to my cake from Milk via Snapchat but I’m serious, guys. Think about it. I just sweated like a pig for 55 minutes…and I didn’t cry once.

But those 55 minutes go straight down the drain if I keep eating food that’s not so great for me. So I’ve been making a conscious effort to make healthier choices and cut out on my mindless snacking (it’s a big problem). I made this Greek marinated zucchini salad over the weekend and it was bomb.com. Let’s chat about it, yes?

I sliced a medium zucchini using my handy vegetable peeler since I wanted long ribbons and not spiralized noodles for this recipe. After I had the ribbons, I placed them in a Pyrex container and set about making my dressing. My red wine vinaigrette is my favorite dressing to use with cold pasta salad-type dishes, it can really do no wrong with any dish. It’s light but packs a serious flavor punch and if you’re a fan of kitchen adventures, you probably already have all the ingredients on hand.

Side note: Can we talk about those photos in the red wine vinaigrette link?! They were taken on my iPhone 5 in my old Glover Park apartment and YOWZA. It’s nice to look to back and see how far my photography skillz have come and motivates me to continue refining them.

Gah I am ALL about the motivation today, aren’t I?

Whip up the best dressing ever and pour about half of it (roughly 2 cups) over the zucchini ribbons in the Pyrex. Toss with tongs to evenly coat. Cover and let it sit in your fridge for 1-2 hours to marinate. Which means you can throw this together and then head out the door to barre and get home in time for a deliciously healthy lunch. BAM.

Now here comes the fun part.

Toss all your favorite Greek toppings into the zucchini salad bowl!! Use what you have on hand: tomatoes, diced cucumber, feta, kalamata olives…

As I look at this picture, I realize this dish would definitely benefit from some pepperonicinis. OH YES. I could eat a whole jar of those bad boys in one sitting. If you want to, you could drizzle some extra dressing on but really, that’s not necessary. The marinated zucchini ribbons absorb some of the dressing but there’s enough to go around for everyone. Store the dressing in your fridge in an airtight container and keep it for up to a week.

I love when things work out like that.

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