Chicken, Watercress, Apple and Zucchini Pasta recipe. Spring is four days away and with all the lovely weather we’ve had here in the bay area, I’m inspired and in the mood for recipes that call forth a variety of spring’s bounty.
I love greens, but as an undermethylated individual, I am intolerant to folate and have to be mindful about consuming high folate foods.
For this recipe, and to stabilize blood sugar, I make pasta out of zucchini with my veggie spiralizer (I like the Paderno World Cuisine from Amazon) along with brain-loving B-6 rich chicken breast and olive oil.
I also add anti-inflammatory, blood cleansing watercress with its wonderful spicy bite, along with apple and sumac to round out the dish.
What’s unique about watercress is that it’s been found to reduce DNA damage in blood cells with its high levels of vitamin C, beta-carotene, lutein, and phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC), which is known to have significant anti-cancer properties.
If you’re not familiar with sumac, I encourage you to become familiar with this middle eastern spice. It’s a wonderful tabletop condiment, perfect for sprinkling on salads, baked chicken, boiled eggs and more to provide that extra zing. Sumac goes very well with chicken and fish, but I also use it in meat dishes too.
Chicken, Watercress and Apple Zucchini Pasta Ingredients:
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 medium zucchini squash, process into pasta with the shred insert
- 1 bunch watercress
- 1/2 Gala or Pink Lady apple, process with the shred insert, then cut into matchsticks
- Sumac (I like Spicely brand)
- 1/2 (4 ounces) organic baked chicken breast, shredded
- Unrefined sea salt to taste (I like Real Salt or Himalayan Crystal salt)
Chicken, Watercress and Apple Zucchini Pasta Instructions:
- Place a large skillet over medium/low heat and add in 1 tablespoon olive oil (be sure to keep heat medium/low with olive oil, too high and it will go rancid).
- If the chicken has been precooked and is cold, add it now to warm for a few minutes.
- Add in the zucchini noodles and watercress.
- Sprinkle with salt and a liberal hand of sumac.
- Toss frequently for about 3 minutes or until zucchini noodles have softened and warmed. When done, remove from heat and add the apple. Toss the pasta once more to combine and then plate into a bowl. Sprinkle once more with sumac and enjoy!
This recipe is also wonderful served cold. Simply combine ingredients in a large bowl, toss and enjoy.
What do you think of this recipe? I’d love to know your thoughts in the comments below.
3 Responses
So do you always have to avoid higher histamine foods (tomatoes, bananas, avocados, etc) as an undermethylator? And what about your gut bacteria- balancing your microbiome by avoiding histamine producing probiotics and adding in histamine degrading probiotics? Would this help an undermethylator to be able to eat a wider variety diet? Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Hi Karen,
Great question! Histamine intolerance/mast cell degranulation is a completely different creature to undermethylation. What’s most important is the avoidance of folate-rich foods and a dietary/nutrient protocol to replenish healthy gut microbes.
Hi,
Having recently been diagonosed as an undermethylater, I am tying to find a list of Folate rich foods I should avoid. The list I have been able to bring up online doesn’t collate with some of the ingredients in your recipes. Can you provide a general list of things to avoid?