By Summer 2023 and the workshops have grown beyond what I can manage alone in a meaningful way. I have been doing this for six years and the combination of the YouTube channel, the book, the school series, the community centers, the Provo pantry, and the private lessons represents more hours than I have. Beverly and I have been in conversation about creating a part-time workshop coordinator position — someone who handles logistics so I can focus on teaching. Olivia, who won't be here in the fall, has been helping me draft the job description, which is a form of passing the torch even if the person who takes it is someone I haven't met yet.
Mason, sixteen this September, has been running the channel's social media presence and I only recently realized how much he'd taken on. He monitors the comments, responds to DMs, schedules posts. He does this between the line cooking shifts he's doing at a local restaurant three evenings a week — not Ethan's restaurant, a different one, a pizza place where he's learning a different set of skills. He told me this week they let him try making the dough and he did it well enough that the head chef complimented him. He mentioned it casually. I stored it carefully.
Garden tomatoes are coming in. I've started the annual marinara marathon. Fourth of July party with the neighbors, the same potato salad, the same smells of summer. Noah is eleven and fully himself — reader, thinker, occasional unexpected wise person. He said at dinner Thursday: "Mom, you know the good thing about your cooking? It always tastes like home, even when home is complicated." I said, "That's beautiful, Noah." He said, "I was trying to be scientific about it."
The marinara marathon is in full swing, and with tomatoes coming off the vines faster than I can jar them, I needed a weeknight recipe that actually celebrated that abundance instead of just managing it. Zucchini noodles felt exactly right—light enough for July heat, substantial enough to feel like a real meal, and the kind of thing I can make with Noah asking questions beside me and still have half a mind free to think about workshop coordinator job descriptions. It’s summer cooking at its most honest: garden-driven, unfussy, and it tastes like home.
Zucchini Noodles
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 10 min | Total Time: 25 min | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 4 medium zucchini, ends trimmed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes (or 3 cups fresh garden tomatoes, crushed)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Spiralize the zucchini. Using a spiralizer, julienne peeler, or mandoline, cut the zucchini into noodles. Place in a colander, toss with 1/2 teaspoon salt, and let sit for 10 minutes to draw out moisture. Pat dry with paper towels.
- Build the marinara. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute until fragrant. Add the crushed tomatoes, oregano, red pepper flakes, and sugar. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
- Warm the noodles. In a separate large skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini noodles and toss for 1–2 minutes—just enough to warm them through without losing their texture. Do not overcook.
- Combine and serve. Divide the zucchini noodles among bowls and spoon the marinara generously over the top. Finish with torn fresh basil and a shower of grated Parmesan. Serve immediately.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 145 | Protein: 6g | Fat: 8g | Carbs: 16g | Fiber: 4g | Sodium: 390mg