When I was a child, I would always finish my vegetables. My mother says I never had a problem eating broccoli, cauliflower OR Brussels sprouts. Today, I still eat all of my vegetables (yay!) but sometimes, I want a bit of a change, even if it is just in how my vegetables look while I’m eating them. And other times, I really want homemade pad Thai but with less starch and more nutrients.
At the start of my healthy eating and lifestyle change, a friend of mine told me to try making zucchini noodles, now commonly known as zoodles from coast to coast to coast. I was confused, excited and curious all at the same time. Zucchini + noodles = something that definitely sounds like some fancy and fake cookbook, amirte?
That very same week, I found the machine I needed to make zoodles! Fast forward to today, everyone’s talking oodles about zoodles!
These pasta-less noodles are simple, but can be eaten similarly to spaghetti or rice noodles (even better, though, they cook in MINUTES). This recipe will teach you the 123s of zoodles, giving you a simple, fast meal perfect for post-work hunger and week-long stir fry!
What you’ll need:
- 1 large zucchini
- 1/2 tbs of olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Zoodle machine aka spiralizer (and if you don’t have one, a potato peeler will do)
- 1 tsp of garlic
- Parmesan cheese (optional)
What to do:
Step one: Spiral or peel zucchini to desired length and size.
Step two: In a medium sized pan on medium heat add oil and garlic and cook for a few minutes until aromatic.
Step three: Add zucchini to pan and sauté for three to five minutes. NOTE: Do not add any water, the zucchini will release water during the cooking process and you don’t want the zoodles to get too brothy.
Step four: Season zoodles with salt and pepper.
Step five: Remove zoodles from heat, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.
Zoodles are low-carb and still satisfy the pasta craving you may (do) have. The spiralizer is a great investment, too. It’s not difficult to use or clean, plus it’s fun and not overly expensive. And, you can dress your zoodles in many different sauces, add various vegetables into the mix or keep it a simple aglio e olio like I’ve done here.
a quarter young 