Pesto Zucchini "Spaghetti"

Ingredients

4 medium zucchini, julienned thinly (mandoline slicers are great for this)

generous pinch of salt

6 slices of uncooked bacon

1/2 cup green onions, sliced into 1-inch pieces

2 cups broccoli florets

2-3 T prepared basil pesto

Fresh Parmesan or Romano cheese, for garnish

Preparation

Place zucchini strips in a colander over a bowl or in the sink. Sprinkle zucchini with salt and toss to combine. Let the zucchini sit for 15 minutes while the salt extracts the moisture. Drain excess water, squeezing zucchini, if necessary.

Meanwhile, cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, turning frequently. Remove bacon to a stack of paper towels to drain. Crumble bacon. Remove all but 2 T of bacon drippings from the pan.

Return the pan to medium heat. Add the green onions and broccoli, stirring frequently for about 3-5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add zucchini and 2 T of pesto, tossing to combine all ingredients. Taste and add more pesto, if needed. The mixture only needs to warm up, so 2-3 minutes of cooking ought to do it.

Serve with bacon crumbles and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.