Zucchini noodles have been all the rage this past year, they’ve even earned themselves the nickname, “Zoodles”. However, zucchini isn’t the only vegetable you can substitute for pasta if you’re looking for some nutrient dense noodles to add to your lunch or dinner plate. Among other vegetables I have seen spiralized into noodles include sweet potatoes, carrots, butternut squash, spaghetti squash, and yellow squash. If you do not own a spiralizer to make your own noodles, not to worry because some grocery stores actually sell them pre-spiralized and ready to cook up.
If you are looking for a lower carbohydrate meal, one that does not spike your glucose extremely high, this is a wonderful substitute (especially for diabetics or people watching their blood sugars). Substituting zucchini noodles for pasta noodles gives you some extra vegetable benefits without the heavy carbohydrate high afterwards. Furthermore, you can add some extra toppings such as whole cashews or extra pesto to boost the healthy fats and macronutrients. I like to slice up some italian sausage, but feel free to substitute with some garlic shrimp, ground beef, or even a slice of peppered salmon.
One of the main reasons why I love zucchini noodles so much is the reduced cook time. It takes a grand total of 5-10 minutes to whip up a batch of warm zucchini noodles, add in what type of sauce you like, include some protein and you’ve got yourself an easy lunch or dinner dish.
Zoodles are great to add in any dish where you would use pasta, such as a spaghetti dish or pesto dish, I’ve even seen them used in lasagna. However, zoodles can become limpy when cooked for too long and unlike pasta does not always taste as wonderful the next day. Thus, zoodles may not be the best substitute for meal prepping the entire week with, considering it’s soggy texture when re-heated.
*Disclaimer: A bowl of pasta contains other B Vitamins that zoodles don’t have. Pasta is part of a healthy diet in moderation and should not be avoided because of it’s carbohydrate load.
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Pesto Zucchini Noodle Pasta Recipe
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This recipe is an original Healthy Chew recipe, all rights reserved.
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Just printed out this yummy looking recipe Stephanie! I’ve been surviving off of Chipotle for the last year and I’m ready for making delicious meals like yours!
Where do you get zucchini noodles??
I typically buy them at our local grocery store, they come pre-spiralized. I also have a spiralizer that does the work for me, easy to use and pretty cheap to buy at the grocery store/kitchen supply store.