Let’s talk Zoodles.
The zucchini noodle takeover is all over social media lately. I’ve seen several takes on the “Zoodle” and couldn’t wait to get my hands on a spiral slicer and try the healthy alternative on spaghetti immediately! Anything that lays off the carbs but mimics a comfort food favorite is always up my alley. Eating out as much as I do, I love offsetting that gluttony with healthy meals at home, and I love looking at blogs like http://www.benchrestgallery.com/ to get inspiration of what to cook. Sometimes though, I just see something that grabs me – especially a home-cooked creation as unique and as easy as this. Don’t you feel like you’ll just LOSE ? YOUR ? MIND sometimes if you have to look at another grilled chicken breast?! The struggle is real.
Ingredient Prep (don’t forget your glass of wine)
Since it was my first time trying zoodles, I chose to hunt for an appealing recipe instead of making up my own and found this amazing Zoodle and Kale Pesto recipe on As Easy as Apple Pie. I loved that it utilized an uber nutrient-dense kale pesto instead of a tomato-based sauce and was super easy to follow. If you’re not a pesto fan, you can simply replace the pesto with a classic tomato sauce or light alfredo. The pesto version was a huge success though and my group of four devoured it. No one was missing the heavy, starchy pasta we usually see in a dish like this. Transforming zucchini into noodles was as easy – and tasty!- as any pasta dish.
Here’s how I went from zucchini to zoodle in under 10 minutes:
Spiral Slicing the Zucchini
The spiral slicer has two sides; a finer slice and a thicker one. I experimented with both but ended up preferring the thinner slice. It produced a much more spaghetti-like texture. Make sure you wash your zucchini first but DO keep the skin on, that’s where the majority of nutrients are!
Sautêe the Zoodles
Sautée and season the zoodles briefly (no more than 4 minutes) in good olive oil. This is your opportunity to impart some nice flavor! You could go with cumin, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, etc. I opted for a healthy hand of koshler salt, fresh-cracked pepper and chili powder. Don’t be shy with the seasoning, the zucchini desperately needs it.
Add some edamame or your favorite veg
Toss in the edamame to add a bit of bite and texture. These should be pre-thawed and will only need a minute or two to come up to temperature. Be sure not to over-cook your zoodles. A fun sub here might be asparagus tips, cherry tomatoes or English peas. Play with your add-ons!
Now you’re ready to plate. Add your kale pesto and a pretty bowl for maximum zoodle presentation loveliness.
Plated Zoodles
Grab your favorite vino and enjoy!
Pro wine tip: I paired these zoodles with a gorgeous French Bordeaux (why not?) from Kermit Lynch. Try their Château Belles-Graves for something bright, mineraly and lush with a velvety texture and very fine tannins. It offsets the pesto like a boss.
