HEALTH

Here at GL, we could eat heaping bowls of pasta all day, everyday. There are few foods that are so comforting and delicious as a good ol’ serving of noodles. However, pasta is not the most nutritious carb to dig into and sometimes we get sick of sticking to whole wheat varieties. So instead of ditching pasta all together, we’ve taken to making “zoodles,” or zucchini noodles. They’re a healthy alternative to spaghetti, a yummy way to eat our daily dose of veggies and oh-so-easy to make. Read on for instructions and recipe ideas. Let’s get cooking!

How to make the perf zoodles

There are a few ways you can transform your zucchini into perfect noodles. You can use a traditional vegetable spiralizer for longer noodles, a julienne peeler for shorter noodles or a vegetable peeler for thin ribbon style noodles. The three different methods will give you zoodles of varying textures and sizes, but all of them taste great and will make the perf base for your fave pasta recipes!

Once you have your zoodles ready to go, lay them out on a baking sheet lined with paper towels to soak up the extra water until you're ready to use them. Next, choose one of these yummy ways to prepare your zoodles. With food that tastes this good, you won’t even miss your pasta.

Asian Style Peanut Zoodles

We love eating peanut noodles for a satisfying savory snack or meal and this version made with zoodles is better than even our favorite takeout place! The recipe from Lake Shore Lady is easy to assemble and chock-full of colorful veggies.

What you’ll need

1/4 c. soy sauce

1/4 c. peanut butter

1 tsp. hoisin sauce

1 tbsp. water

2 tsp. Sriracha

3 zucchini, made into noodles

3 green onions, sliced

1 red bell pepper, sliced or spiralized (optional)

1-2 carrots, shredded (optional)

1 lb. cooked chicken breast, sliced (optional)

Instructions

1. Whisk together the soy sauce, peanut butter, hoisin sauce, water and Sriracha to make the peanut sauce.

2. Sauté your zucchini along with your bell pepper and carrots in some olive oil.

3. Mix your veggies with the peanut sauce. Top with chicken and garnish with green onions.

Chicken Zoodle Soup

Our go-to choice for sick days, rainy days or just-plain-lazy days, chicken noodle soup is a staple because it’s rejuvenating and nourishing. This tasty recipe from The Brewer and the Baker is *so* much better than canned soup and uses our yummy zoodles for a nutritious spin on a classic.

What you’ll need

6 c. chicken broth

2 medium onions, diced

1 c. diced carrots

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cooked chicken breasts, shredded or sliced

4 medium zucchini, made into noodles

Salt and pepper to taste

Parsley

Instructions

1. Cook garlic, onions and carrots in the chicken stock for about 30 minutes, until the veggies are tender.

2. Add the zoodles and chicken to the soup. Cook the zoodles for about 1-2 minutes.

3. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with parsley.

Pesto Zoodles

The bright, fresh taste of pesto pairs perfectly with zoodles, resulting in a combo that’ll tantalize your taste buds. We love this easy recipe from Closet Cooking and highly recommend making your own pesto rather than buying it from the store!

What you’ll need

Pesto

1 c. basil or arugula

1 clove garlic

2 tbsp. pine nuts (you can also use pecans or walnuts)

1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese

3 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. lemon juice

Salt and pepper

Noodles

4 medium zucchini, made into noodles

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 lb. cooked chicken breast, sliced (optional)

1 pt. cherry tomatoes (optional)

Instructions

1. Combine the basil, garlic, nuts, parmesan cheese, olive oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper in a food processor. Blend until smooth.

2. Sauté your zucchini noodles for 1-2 minutes until they’re cooked.

3. Toss with pesto. If you like, you can also top the zoodles with cherry tomatoes and chicken.

Have you tried making zucchini noodles? What do you think of zoodles? Let us know in the comments!

Photo credits: Closet Cooking, Lake Shore Lady, The Brewer and the Baker

by Morgan Ome | 8/22/2016