Fix Your Pasta Craving With These Healthy Zoodles

I’m gonna let you in on a secret. I’m a complete carb addict. And by carb addict I mean I love those emotionally satisfying but not so healthy carbohydrates like bread, pasta, bagels, and muffins.

Sure I’m a food and diet coach, but I’m only human. And carbohydrates are my vice. And this is precisely why I love zoodles.

What Are Zoodles You Ask?

Good question! Zoodles are vegetables that have been spiralized to make long, pasta-like creations. They’re super easy to make and can be substituted for any pasta -based dish to make a healthier version of your favorite comfort food. There is an emotional element to eating that we can’t deny.

Zoodles help you stay within your diet health goals while satisfying that emotional need for fun food. And zoodles are made from low-glycemic vegetables which are the healthy, non-fattening carbohydrates. How awesome is that!

The best part of zoodles is that they are super easy and economical to make.

My favorite veggies to use are zucchinis and carrots. I peel and wash the vegetables and then I let my spiralizer do its magic. And within a matter of just a few minutes, I’m left with a bowl full of super healthy vegetable noodles, ready for my favorite recipe!

By the way, zoodles are perfect for little ones who are picky eaters. You might be able to give them a bowl of zoodles without them ever knowing they are made of vegetables. If that doesn’t work, you can always hide them in a regular spaghetti dish. They blend in so well with spaghetti that it is hard to know they’re there.

So what’s my favorite thing to do with zoodles?

Well, one of my favorite comfort foods is macaroni and cheese. Because sometimes my inner 8-year old just wants to be heard. But the adult in me wants macaroni and cheese that is better for me. So what is the compromise? Ooey gooey zoodles macaroni with cashew cheese. This is the grown up way to eat like a kid again.

Ingredients

(Cashew Cheese recipe is a slightly adapted version of Real Food Daily’s Vegan Cashew Cheese Recipe¹ )

• 2 medium zucchinis
• 2 medium carrots
• 1 cup cashews (preferably soaked for 2 to 4 hours)
• 1/8 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 2 turns white ground pepper
• 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut or nut milk
• 1/4 cup agar flakes (found in the dried seaweed section or online)
• 1/8 cup olive oil
• 1 Tbsp white miso
• 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice

Directions

1. Rinse the vegetables, cut off the ends and peel the carrots. Use the spiralizer to shape the vegetables into noodles. Set your zoodles to the side.
2. Next, make the cheese. Add the nuts, nutritional yeast and spice to a food processor or blender. Blend for 2 to 4 minutes until smooth.
3. Combine the non-dairy milk, oil and agar flakes in a pot. Bring to a boil, cover and let simmer for 3 to 5 minutes until agar is dissolved, stirring frequently. Add this mixture to your food processor and blend again.
4. Add the lemon juice and miso and blend one more time.
5. Immediately pour the cheese sauce  over the noodles and stir. The cheese sauce must still be very hot. Serve immediately  and enjoy!

Want a more traditional macaroni and cheese?

Combine your zoodles with milk and cheese and microwave for about 30 seconds to a minute. Remove from the microwave and stir. This will be more similar to the fare you grew up with!

And this is just the beginning. The sky is the limit when it comes to using zoodles. Serve them hot or cold.

So grab your spiralizer, and start experimenting, today. Because healthy eating should be all about eating comfort food. You just need a little creativity to transform your unhealthy classics into healthy masterpieces.