ZUCCHINI NOODLES (Pasta Substitute)

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Bridgetthegre
Bridgetthegre Posts: 85 Member
in Recipes
Not much of a recipe here - but ZUCCHINI NOODLES! We can't do pasta because of blood sugar. I was a little dubious, but I initially tried a stir fry recipe that used them - and yeah. NOODLES! I made a bolognese sauce this evening....used the zucchini....SPAGHETTI. If I'd have had pasta the night before I might feel different, but they are definitely workable.

I know you can buy a spiralizer, but all you really need to do is take your vegetable peeler. Peel the zucchini. Use the vegetable peeler to peel off noodle strips of zucchini. Toss the raw zucchini with your finished sauce just until the zucchini is warmed up - and it works waaaay better than you could ever imagine. The texture is close enough and the zucchini taste doesn't stand out if you have a strongly flavored sauce.

If you can't have pasta, are trying low carb, or are want to add more veggies - give it a try. I've read plenty of odd things that people claim are delicious (kale chips are NOT AT ALL like potato chips - seriously I'd rather have NOTHING)- but unlike spaghetti squash which tastes exactly like squash with sauce dumped on top, this actually works.
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  • DuckReconMajor
    DuckReconMajor Posts: 434 Member
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    I've wanted to try them for a while just haven't gotten around to it. So you don't have to cook them? just warm them up?
  • Bridgetthegre
    Bridgetthegre Posts: 85 Member
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    No. Just cook the sauce, and throw the sliced zucchini noodles in with the hot sauce. Stir it around just until the zucchini is warm.
  • DuckReconMajor
    DuckReconMajor Posts: 434 Member
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    What if i just want to eat some buttered/salted zucchini noodles? Is that something in the realm of feasibility?
  • Bridgetthegre
    Bridgetthegre Posts: 85 Member
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    That I don't know. I've had them twice, both times with a heavily spiced sauce on top. The zucchini blends in to the sauce and picks up the flavor, and while the texture is slightly crunchier, the noodles are thin enough that the texture is pasta-like. I'm not sure about the butter/salt thing - but it could be worth a try. Garlic might help, but then again, I think garlic helps almost everything.
  • MoiAussi93
    MoiAussi93 Posts: 1,948 Member
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    Love zucchini noodles. I bout a spiralizer for $3.50 on ebay and figured if they were terrible it wasn't a huge loss. I like them a lot! I've had them with olive oil and garlic and also tried them with a tomato based cream sauce. Both were very good.

    You can either eat them raw or cooked. I cooked mine (in a frying pan) with some oil for about two or three minutes.
  • Bridgetthegre
    Bridgetthegre Posts: 85 Member
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    I have to admit I was suspicious about the zucchini noodle idea, but I'm willing to try all kinds of things just about once. I was surprised at how well they actually sub for pasta. Which is good - because I love pasta and haven't had it for months!
  • MoiAussi93
    MoiAussi93 Posts: 1,948 Member
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    I want to try them in a cold pasta salad next. I think they would be very good with a lemon vinaigrette dressing.
  • dogcatac
    dogcatac Posts: 124 Member
    edited July 2015
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    love them. i got a spiralizer, too, and it's so worth it. mine has a bunch of attachments, too. (i rationalized that it's multi-use tool so i could buy it lol) i really like tossing them with a splash of tamari and adding chopped nuts, fresh veggies, and herbs. maybe chicken or salmon.
    here is a nice salad recipe:
    http://www.sugarfreemom.com/recipes/mason-jar-zucchini-pasta-salad-with-avocado-spinach-dressing/
    i also make noodles out of yams and cucumbers. i think both of those are good w/ a soy peanut kind of sauce. tons of fresh veggies and herbs are always good, too. ginger. ill take it.
    oh and kale chips. omg i LOVE them. sooo good. i make them myself and season them w/ cajun spices. they are definitely not potato chips or hold any resemblance, but they can be really nice.
  • Aecuncw
    Aecuncw Posts: 1 Member
    edited July 2015
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    Yall should try sweet potato or parsnip noodles. So great! You can 'rice' the sweet potato noodles by just cutting them up into rice sized bits with sheers. I like to rice sweet potatoes for low carb mexican dishes!
  • Bridgetthegre
    Bridgetthegre Posts: 85 Member
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    dogcatac wrote: »
    love them. i got a spiralizer, too, and it's so worth it. mine has a bunch of attachments, too. (i rationalized that it's multi-use tool so i could buy it lol)
    here is a nice salad recipe:
    http://www.sugarfreemom.com/recipes/mason-jar-zucchini-pasta-salad-with-avocado-spinach-dressing/

    That looks like something good to take for lunch at work. Thanks!

  • MoiAussi93
    MoiAussi93 Posts: 1,948 Member
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    dogcatac wrote: »
    love them. i got a spiralizer, too, and it's so worth it. mine has a bunch of attachments, too. (i rationalized that it's multi-use tool so i could buy it lol) i really like tossing them with a splash of tamari and adding chopped nuts, fresh veggies, and herbs. maybe chicken or salmon.
    here is a nice salad recipe:
    http://www.sugarfreemom.com/recipes/mason-jar-zucchini-pasta-salad-with-avocado-spinach-dressing/
    i also make noodles out of yams and cucumbers. i think both of those are good w/ a soy peanut kind of sauce. tons of fresh veggies and herbs are always good, too. ginger. ill take it.
    oh and kale chips. omg i LOVE them. sooo good. i make them myself and season them w/ cajun spices. they are definitely not potato chips or hold any resemblance, but they can be really nice.

    I've never thought of trying cucumbers. But I like the peanut sauce idea and will have to try this soon. The salad recipe looks great...I need to try that avocado dressing.
  • Queenmunchy
    Queenmunchy Posts: 3,380 Member
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    http://inspiralized.com/
  • Queenmunchy
    Queenmunchy Posts: 3,380 Member
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    All spiralized veg recipes!
  • oh_happy_day
    oh_happy_day Posts: 1,137 Member
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    DuckReconMajor wrote: »
    I've wanted to try them for a while just haven't gotten around to it. So you don't have to cook them? just warm them up?

    I actually cook mine first because I like the texture more. I have a spiralizer and then cook them in a pan until they're softened, sometimes with a clove of garlic and a teensy touch of olive oil. It helps get some of the water out as well. I use mine with tomato based sauces and the difference is minimal - all you can really taste is the sauce. But it adds a nice bulk and it feels like you're eating heaps!
  • Queenmunchy
    Queenmunchy Posts: 3,380 Member
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    I like to sauté veggies, then add them in with a wedge or two of spreadable cheese (like laughing cow).
    This cheesy bowl is only 130 calories and its filling!
    cuc5xxtl9ajv.jpg
  • sabrinacrandall
    sabrinacrandall Posts: 74 Member
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    Thank you for posting this! I've been wanting to try this for a while now, but not being a huge zucchini person, I was skeptical. I'll have to give it a try now! :)
  • cabwj
    cabwj Posts: 843 Member
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    I use zucchini noodles to moderate my pasta consumption. Half zucchini and half pasta, lets me have either a bigger serving or a lower cal serving, depending on what my day looks like.
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
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    Queenmunchy wrote: »
    I like to sauté veggies, then add them in with a wedge or two of spreadable cheese (like laughing cow).
    This cheesy bowl is only 130 calories and its filling!
    cuc5xxtl9ajv.jpg

    That looks delicious!

    I don't necessarily consider them a replacement for pasta, but I do think it's a fun way to add veggies to things. I don't have an official noodle maker, so I use my food processor, but they end up really short. Oh well. Laziness wins...
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
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    oh_happy_day wrote: »
    DuckReconMajor wrote: »
    I've wanted to try them for a while just haven't gotten around to it. So you don't have to cook them? just warm them up?

    I actually cook mine first because I like the texture more. I have a spiralizer and then cook them in a pan until they're softened, sometimes with a clove of garlic and a teensy touch of olive oil. It helps get some of the water out as well. I use mine with tomato based sauces and the difference is minimal - all you can really taste is the sauce. But it adds a nice bulk and it feels like you're eating heaps!

    I find the biggest difference is the ability to absorb sauce. I just put less in my sauce and make it an "Italian Stew" and eat it with a spoon.
  • Queenmunchy
    Queenmunchy Posts: 3,380 Member
    edited July 2015
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    Definitely an easy way to eat veggies. Check out that link for Inspiralized because her recipes are ridiculously good. She uses all different vegetables in her meals - and that's the way I like to eat. Mainly veg with some protein and huge portions.

    You can just use a vegetable peeler to make them too I did that until 3 years ago and I use mine 3-4 times per week so the $30 was worth it. I've also bought 4 as gifts along with the Inspiralized cookbook.

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