zucchini 'noodles' -- game changer!

I used to roll my eyes at the idea of spiralized zucchini with pasta sauce.

I love it! I bought my spiralizer at Bed Bath and Beyond -- super easy to use. A new favorite lunch/dinner is a big bowl of zoodles with marinara sauce tossed with a sauteed sausage. I sautee the sausage first, add the sauce to heat it up, and then add the zoodles for a minute or two. Quick, easy, affordable, so filling and tastes fresh and delicious!

My giant portion of zoodles has only 50 calories.

(Obviously the sauce and meat add more calories.)

You might want to give it a try.

Replies

erockem

Carrot noodles. Love em.

funjen1972

I see some use part zoodle, part regular pasta so they get the same chew as pasta but with additional volume of zoodles.

kimny72

funjen1972 wrote: »

I see some use part zoodle, part regular pasta so they get the same chew as pasta but with additional volume of zoodles.

I often add veggies to my pasta to add volume without as many cals, so that makes sense!

Candyspun

I like the fact that it gives me a little bit of extra iron, fibre, vitamin c, etc... I definitely want to have it with long noodles mixed in, one day, but so far have been too lazy, because the zoodles are just so quick to prepare, compared to noodles. I love the fact that I can eat a gigantic bowl of these in bulk and feel really satisfied. I also find they don't hurt my stomach like pasta does (but I will always still eat pasta regardless!).

I find the secret is to cut it with skin along the side of the zoodle as much as possible, then I usually quickly sear it over a high heat, in a saucepan with half a teaspoon of olive oil. I only do this for about 2-3 minutes. We usually add our protein and a kick arsh (got around your *kitten* censorship MFP! Shakes fist.) sauce. Absolute heaven. I say 'we', as in my partner and teenage daughter; I've gotten three of our family of five hooked!

jamespatten3576

I didn't eat much zucchini before I got a spiralizer, so I gave it a try. Weird thing is I hardly use the thing now, but it has got me hooked on zucchini. I'd just rather dice it or cut it into planks for the grill but now I eat it all the time.

Lillymoo01

kimny72 wrote: »

kgb6days wrote: »

OK - what am I missing???? I got a spiralizer and gave it a try. Mind you I love veggies, zucchini being one of them. I was WAY under impressed. I've never been able o make spaghetti squash work for me either. If I want spaghetti, I want the real deal. It just doesn't fool me into believing that it's really spaghetti. I've even tried sautéing them with EVOO and seasonings - nope. Just doesn't do it for me. Anybody want a spiralizer?

Yeah, I think a spiralizer is a fun way to change up how you serve your veggies. But in no way are they a pasta replacement to me. I think people who think the best part of pasta is the sauce can get away with it though. For me I love the chewy, doughiness of pasta and rice, and veggies just aren't the same! It's awesome if it works for other people, or at least gets them eating more veggies

There is no way that zoodles can replace pasta and cauliflower replace rice as the taste and texture are way too different. I actually prefer the zucchini and cauliflower over the pasta and rice though so it is a win/win for me, especially as it gives me the calories for cheese!

Lounmoun

I like zucchini noodles barely cooked with some marinara sauce, some cut up cooked chicken and topped with mozzarella.
I also like kung pao zoodles or Greek style zoodles.

I could eat any of these dishes with the zucchini cut into cubes I suppose but the noodle shape is fun. I don't think of zoodles as a replacement for pasta. It is its own thing.
I have use my spiralizer on potato, apple, carrot, parsnip, and zucchini.

https://www.skinnytaste.com/?s=Spiralized&submit=
https://inspiralized.com/spiralized-recipes/?cat=featured-recipe

sugom2

I have it and love it. Bought mine for $9.99 at Aldi. I had zoodles for lunch today...I don't really do the entire "marinara and sausage" because I agree, it doesn't taste like the real noodle. But I love it for low carb lunches. I love Mighty Spark's ground Tai chicken mixed with fresh onions and peppers and the zoodles. I ate at 11:30 this morning and don't need my occasional 3:00 snack to get me through until dinner. If I had noodles at lunch, I would be hungrier.

hroderick

We also slice zucc long and thin on a meat slicer for lasagna noodles...yummy

kara_tastic

We love spaghetti squash and zucchini noodles! My KIDS love it! The one thing my 13 yo ask for weekly... my zoodles with heavy cream. I add in chicken for the other kids

amusedmonkey

hroderick wrote: »

We also slice zucc long and thin on a meat slicer for lasagna noodles...yummy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3pAXClBpLI

I have a spiralizer, but I barely use it. When I want zucchini with tomato sauce, I just chop the zucchini and cook with tomato sauce. Cleaning a knife is easier than cleaning a spiralizer, and I don't need to replace pasta (or think zucchini is a good substitute for that).

For the second time this week I have revealed my inner lazy grinch who doesn't like making nice things just because they don't measure up to the real thing. If someone made these things for me and cleaned up after, I would happily eat them without complaining.

Francl27

I hate my vegetti. Used it a couple times and now it's rotting in a drawer. Big zucchinis don't fit and it's a real pain to clean... I figured out real fast that food will taste the same when it's cubed instead of spiralized too... So not worth the trouble.