My First Attempt at Zoodles

Missy Tippens

I finally used my veggie spiralizer! I only bought it about a year ago. :) When a saw a really tasty-sounding recipe from WW (formerly Weight Watchers), I decided to pull out that zoodler and put it to good use.

The recipe that inspired my dish is called "Veggie 'Pasta' with Lemon, Chives and Goat Cheese." I didn't share a link because I believe you have to be a member to see the recipes. Here's my take on it:

3-4 squash (I used yellow and zucchini)
Goat cheese crumbles
2 lemons (zest and juice)
Chicken broth (about 1 cup)
pre-shredded carrots (or make a whole carrot into "noodles")
Fresh asparagus, chopped
chives (I didn't have any)
shallot (I didn't have a fresh one so used dried ones and let them absorb some broth)

Make the "noodles" using whatever method you use.

Look at all the "noodles" I got from 4 squash!

Wait. Back up a few hours! While making my lunch that day, I realized I could use the last of the rotisserie chicken carcass to simmer and make some homemade broth. It turned out amazing and was a great use of something I had planned to just throw away. I'll start doing this every time and freezing it.

Now back to the recipe. :) I sautéed my dried shallots in about a cup of chicken broth to rehydrate them. (Actually, I used about 2 cups, which was way too much chicken broth, and it was almost like soup. So start out with 3/4 to 1 cup and move up from there.)

Meanwhile, I zested the lemon.

Then I added the carrots and asparagus to the pan.

Once the asparagus had cooked just a bit, I stirred in the lemon juice and zest and half of the goat cheese.

I bought this kind but will probably use the softer "tubed" kind that I love so much next time I make this.

Then I added the noodles and tossed them with tongs to mix. Here's everything stirred together after the cheese has melted. Don't cook too long or noodles will get mushy.

We served and topped each bowl with additional cheese crumbles. Very tasty and healthy!

Zucchini - The Veggie I Love to Hate. Or Do I?

Last week, in one of my comments to my post, I was lamenting a certain cow who kept coming into our yard, even going so far as to munch on grass outside of our bedroom window while we were trying to go to sleep.

Well, after making herself scarce for a few days, she finally returned. And look what she brought with her.

Only days old. Isn't he/she the cutest thing? I told Bessie she's welcome to bring that baby back around anytime. I wonder if it would like zucchini?

Me, I am not a fan of zucchini. I know a lot of people love it, but whenever I have it sautéed with some mixed veggies, it just makes me cringe. I guess it's a textural thing. And the fact that it squeaks against my teeth makes she shudder. 

That said, I have a recipe for a sugar free chocolate cake that uses finely chopped zucchini for moisture and I love it. Can't even detect the zucchini. Zucchini bread? I've never made it, but I've eaten and enjoyed it. So then these zucchini noodles, aka Zoodles or Troodles, started showing up, even precut and bagged at the grocery store. It's supposed to take the place of pasta. 

You really expect me to believe that?

Well, last summer, I was at a friend's and she made this awesome sun-dried tomato sauce with chicken and she offered a variety of pastas, including zucchini noodles. This was my chance to give these buggers a try. And they weren't bad. So, I came home and ordered a Zoodle for making zucchini noodles. When it arrived, I put it in the cupboard where it's been ever since. Until a could of weeks ago.

My son wanted Chicken Alfredo for dinner. I was onboard with that, except for one thing. I've been steering clear of carbs. And even my beloved Dreamfields pasta wasn't going to do the trick. I had a major dilemma. Then I remembered the Zoodle tool sitting in my cupboard. And, hallelujah, I was still at the grocery store when I remembered. So, I made a beeline for the produce section and grabbed some zucchini.

Later, after the chicken was cooked and the alfredo sauce was bubbling, I spiralized my zucchini. Easy enough. Then I rubbed a little bit of coconut oil into a nonstick skillet.

Once it was hot, I added my zucchini swirls.

I tossed those around until they began to soften, added a tiny bit of salt, and that was it. You can also boil them, but the skillet method is not only faster, I think it's easier to get the right consistency.

I put them into a bowl, then added my Alfredo sauce and chicken and sat down to dinner with my guys.

Here's goes nothing.

I was pleasantly surprised. Not only were they not squeaky, the texture was perfect and they absorbed the flavor of the sauce. Score! I mean, that's like having  your cake and eating it too. With no guilt.

But I still wondered how they would work with other things.

So, a few nights later when my husband was craving spaghetti, I made myself some more Zoodles, though I was skeptical as to how they would taste with a tomato sauce instead of a cream sauce.

The verdict? 

Zucchini noodles are an absolute treat for anyone looking for a tasty pasta replacement. No funky texture. No carbs. And it takes on the flavor of your sauce, no matter what kind it may be.

Now I don't have to fear some of my favorite dishes, because I have a healthy carb substitute that won't leave me wanting. I do have one suggestion, though. If the amount of one spiralized zucchini looks like enough in terms of portion, go ahead and do two. Unlike pasta which expands, the zucchini noodles lose some of their moisture during the cooking process, so what may have looked like a lot, may look kind of skimpy by the time you get it into your bowl.

Now it's your turn. In your opinion, is zucchini a friend or foe? If you're trying to cut carbs, would be willing to try spiralized zucchini with your favorite pasta sauce? Or is it something you already partake in on a regular basis?

Three-time Carol Award finalist Mindy Obenhaus lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, the youngest of her five children and two dogs. She's passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. When she's not writing, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her grandchildren. Learn more at mindyobenhaus.com. 

Zucchini Noodles -- Getting Creative

Missy Tippens

I tried an experiment recently. I wanted to make zucchini noodles (zoodles) but didn't have a spiralizer (yet!), so I dug out a tool I've had for years to find out how well it might work.

My mandolin. This is a tool that just proves what a sucker I am for a good marketer. I went to Belk to buy a pillow one day and came home with this thing after watching a live demo! ("It slices...it dices.") :)

Well, it didn't have the ability to spiralize. The best I could do was cut my zucchini into matchsticks. I was hopeful!

I decided to have shrimp with zoodles so peeled the shrimp.

Then I cooked the shrimp and zucchini in a little butter and added some spices.

It didn't turn out very well. The zucchini was rather mushy and a little watery.

Not very appealing in the photos. After dinner, I went online and ordered a spiralizer. I sure hope it makes better zoodles. I plan to share the outcome in another post later.

My fingers are crossed for something yummy!

Oh! I almost forgot. I have a new novella I just released!

Unlucky in love, police deputy Hardy Greenway has spent his life in the friend zone. But now he’s fallen hard for the girlfriend of his nemesis. Dori Blanchette has been waiting for a proposal from her boyfriend, but how can she say yes when she has feelings for Hardy? With Christmas tree ornaments playing spontaneously and secrets being revealed, there’s no telling who will end up together at Christmas!

Welcome to Dahlia, Georgia, where everyone feels welcome!

Check it out here!

www.missytippens.com

ZOODLE-MANIA at Ruthy's!!!!

First, I love to eat.

Second: I'm 5' 2.5" tall.  (That half inch is clutch, when it disappears I'll know I've begun SHRINKING!!!!! Eek!)

I write books.

You don't have to be a math expert to add this one up, so I'm always looking for low-carb ways of loving food without piling on weight because I don't want to give up everything.

I love ice cream.

I love baked goods.

But I have to be sensible, and then my daughter-in-law Lacey went on a fresh foods diet and I discovered Zoodles.

Zoodles are faux noodles formed with this:

Veggetti Maker

This dish is so simple, quick and delicious, you won't believe it...

Saute about 1.5 lbs. of sweet or hot Italian sausage until cooked through... chop into bite-sized pieces as sausage cooks.

Spiral cut 1-2 regular sized zucchini with the Veggeti magic machine!

When sausage is cooked, pour in a bottle of sauce.... I like this one, but I add a good sprinkle of basil, salt, pepper and garlic and Parmesan or Romano cheese..

Heat gently.

Add the spiral zucchini noodles, AKA: Zoodles.

Heat for about 6-7 minutes over low heat. You don't want to cook the zoodles too much.

Result?


This:

This is a low-carb, crazy delicious meal in a bowl.

Kav, you could do this with just the sauce and the zoodles and cheese, or add mushrooms for some extra depth to the sauce.

Dave loved this. I mean he L-O-V-E-D it.

And he's been working so hard on the farm, that it was nice for him to walk into the house and find food, because honestly, there hasn't been a whole lot of cooking time here. And that's okay, it's summer time, and we're all working on our tans...

Okay that's not true, we're just all working!

And having fun doing it.

On the writing side, "Her Unexpected Family" released two days ago, and I hope folks love, love, love this wonderful story... Who says a beauty queen can't be the girl-next-door?

She's got to be next door to someone, right?

And Franciscan ran a sale this week on "Refuge of the Heart", and it blew the numbers out of the park in baseball terms.... so that was marvelous to see!

And life on the farm is crazy busy, but it's supposed to be this time of year, and who wants to wish their summer away?

Not me!

I must show you this cover... I'm in this collection with Mary Connealy, Julie Lessman and Anna Schmidt, and we had so much fun writing historical novellas for CHRISTMAS! Christmas in July, for certain! This one releases this fall, in mid-October...

How pretty is this??? Love it! And what a pleasure to work with those ladies!

So what do you think? Are you brave enough to try Zoodles? Someone once told me spaghetti squash worked well this way. I tried it and didn't like it at all... but we both love this because the texture is very much like al dente noodles... and the taste is amazing.

Grab a seat, I've got the espresso machine fired up, and if you're in iced coffee mode, I'm your gal! I'd love to be your barista today!

Ruth Logan Herne is honored to write the kind of stories she loves to read, so that's a pretty great deal! With well over a million books sold and more to come, she's living her dream while surrounded by small children and kitchen fails like this:

It was supposed to be dirty rice with shrimp... well, it was so salty (my bad, oops) that it was inedible... and I was so hungry!!! Alas, there was no joy in Mudville that night!

And the hens are working overtime:

That's a lot of good protein right there!

Or pudding!

And that's it from upstate New York today!

God bless youse!