Meatless Monday: Zoodles with Spicy Asian Peanut Sauce

I can’t stop making zucchini noodles. Seriously, I love my zoodler (okay I guess the correct term is spiralizer). It’s so easy to use and makes cooking vegetables SO MUCH FUN and getting B to eat veggies SO EASY. Spoiler – if you read my blog often you know that B is not my child; however, in the past few years he’s gotten much better about eating vegetables. One of the ways? Creative usage of veggies. And this recipe definitely counts. I mean, who doesn’t love oodles of peanut buttery sauce with their noodles (see what I did there?)… now, just substitute with zucchini and it’s even better!

Want a Thai-inspired, delicious meatless meal? Here you go. Oh, and while we were eating this, B said, “What’s in this sauce? I would definitely eat this again.”

Zoodles with Spicy Asian Peanut Sauce

Zoodles with Spicy Asian Peanut Sauce

Makes 2-3 servings.

Here’s what you need:

  • 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 shallot, diced
  • 3 medium zucchini, spiralized into zoodles
  • 1 large carrot, spiralized
  • 1/4 cup chopped peanuts, for garnish
  • 1/4 lime, for garnish (optional)

For the sauce:

  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 5 Tablespoons of peanut butter
  • ½ lime, juiced
  • 4 Tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • ¼ – ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1-2 Tablespoons water, to thin out the sauce somewhat

Here’s what you do:

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together garlic, peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, ginger, honey and red pepper flakes. Add water if needed to thin out the sauce – should be a thin paste. The zucchini will thin out the sauce even more later. Set aside.
  2. Heat a large skillet to medium heat. Add oil and diced shallot and saute for 4-5 minutes or until translucent and fragrant.
  3. Turn down heat and add in zucchini and carrot noodles. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes or until zucchini is heated through and at the texture of your liking  – B likes his zoodles somewhat softened and not as al dente so I cook mine for about 4-5 minutes.
  4. Remove noodles and add to the large bowl with the sauce.  Toss until noodles are well-coated.
  5. Serve and garnish with peanuts. Enjoy!

Zoodles with Spicy Asian Peanut Sauce

Interested in a not-so-meatless version? I added shrimp to B’s dish and cooked them with the shallots first before adding in the zucchini. See?

B's version!

B’s version!

For more posts on my love for zoodles and some recipes, here you go: https://icrashedtheweb.com/tag/zoodles/

Some questions for you:

  • Do you have a spiralizer yet? What do you make with it?
  • What’s the best vegetarian meal you’ve eaten lately?

Join this Meatless Monday linkup!

http://tinamuir.com/honey-lime-3-bean-dip/

Meatless Monday Linkup!

Meatless Monday: Zoodles with Spinach Basil Pesto

I love my spiralizer. Have I told you that lately? Okay, I did just last week … But seriously, I’ve even written an ode to my spiralizer.

I love my zoodler.

It makes cooking so much fun.

I feel like a kid.

There you have it – my haiku to my spiralizer. There’s just something about it that makes cooking so much fun and reminds me of when I was a kid playing with play dough and making mystery meals … you know what I mean? Now that that’s off my chest (#awkward), here’s a quick and easy recipe that I made last week for St. Patrick’s Day- a super green, yet healthy, vegan dish for B and me. Sorry, I’m Italian and we had already had corned beef on Sunday  – so for the holiday it was super green noodles.

zoodles and pesto

Zoodles with Spinach Basil Pesto

Here’s what you need:

  • 2 medium-to-large zucchini
  • 1 large garlic clove
  • a large bunch of basil – about 3/4 cup
  • 1/2 cup spinach
  • 1/4 cup toasted chopped or slivered almonds (toasting them brings out a nutty flavor)
  • 3-5 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (depending on how thin you like your pesto – I like mine a little thicker so I use less olive oil)

Here’s what you do:

  1. Using your zoodler (okay, or spiralizer) cut your zucchini into fun noodle-like pieces. When done, I put my zoodles in a pile on the cutting board and like to cut them in 1/3s or 1/2s so the pieces aren’t so large. Set aside.
  2.  Add garlic, basil and spinach to blender or food processor. I use my food processor and it works just fine. Mix well.
  3. Add in toasted almonds, continue to blend until a thick paste forms.
  4. Add in olive oil, one tablespoonful at a time and continue to blend until paste becomes somewhat creamy. Add in any extra salt, garlic, basil or olive oil to taste, as necessary. Mine makes about 1/3 cup pesto, which is perfect for this recipe. You could probably use a little less pesto but I like my zoodles coated!
  5. In a pan over medium heat, toss zoodles with pesto and heat for about 3-5 minutes or until just tossed and warm. Enjoy! Makes two healthy dinner portions.

Top with any of your favorite toppings – I like mine with parmesan cheese (not vegan), diced tomato, more fresh basil and even sometimes sautéed onions.

I’ll definitely be sharing more zoodle recipes soon – I’ve already made shrimp zoodle scampi, zoodles with homemade tomato sauce … and even used my spiralizer on sweet potatoes to make curly sweet potato fries!

Some questions for you:

  • What’s the next Meatless Monday recipe you have planned? I’m joining with this MM linkup and of course checking out MeatlessMonday.com for ideas!
  • Zoodler fans – what zoodle recipe should I make next? This is my second one shared in a week.
  • How do you make your pesto? I typically use basil, olive oil, parmesan cheese and pignoli nuts, so this is a different version for me! 

Garlicky Spicy Shrimp and Zoodles

Have I mentioned that I got a spiralizer? I know, I’m behind the times. I had been using my mandolin to make zoodles and even a knife to make thin shreds for salads (like a papaya or apple salad). But guess what – the wait is over. I finally found a spiralizer I love, that meets my needs (is easy-to-use, doesn’t take up a lot of space and doesn’t have a lot of bells and whistles) and I tried you out. So beware – there may be an influx of zoodle recipes coming your way!

Here’s the first recipe I tried out. Good news – even B enjoyed it!

DISCLAIMER: I am in no way shape or form giving up pasta. I am Italian and pasta holds a special place in my heart, especially homemade pasta. So yes, to answer your question (I knew you were going to ask) – I will still be making homemade pasta. BUT this is great for a quick, easy, healthy weeknight dish. The following meal took less than 30 minutes to make!

Garlicky Spicy Shrimp and Zoodles

Garlicky Spicy Shrimp and Zoodles 

Here’s what you need:

  • 2 medium-to-large zucchini (mine were each about 8-10 inches in length and 3 inches in width about)
  • 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil. divided
  • 3 large garlic cloves, finely diced
  • 2 shallots
  • 1/4 c. chicken or vegetable stock
  • 14 large peeled and deveined cocktail shrimp (note: you can use raw shrimp, just cook them a little bit first before anything else – I just didn’t want to handle raw shrimp)
  • 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh basil
  • 1/4-1/2 tsp hot red pepper flakes (to taste)
  • salt, to taste

Here’s what you do:

  1. Use your spiralizer to make zoodles! I have this spiralizer (iPerfect Kitchen Envy Spiral Slicer Bundle – Vegetable Spiralizer – Zucchini Spaghetti Pasta Maker)  and LOVE it because it’s perfect for my needs – its simple, easy to use and easy to clean and takes up practically no space in my kitchen. I used the larger size zoodler setting for this recipe (my spiralizer only has two settings which is perfect for me). I chopped the zoodles in about half so they weren’t super long. Set zoodles aside.
  2. In a large nonstick pan, add 1/2 of extra virgin olive oil. Add chopped shallots and sauté for 2-3 minutes or until start to become translucent. Add in garlic and continue to sauté until fragrant.
  3. Add in shrimp and be careful not to overcook- toss with oil, shallots and garlic until just warm.
  4. Add in zoodles, broth and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes. Do not overcook the zoodles – I like mine just a little bit softened – if you prefer yours al dente, definitely don’t cook more than 2-3 minutes.
  5. Remove from heat and toss with rest of olive oil, basil and hot pepper flakes. Serve while warm.

Enjoy!

Garlicky Spicy Shrimp and Zoodles

Some questions for you:

  • What noodle dish should I try with zoodles next? Spaghetti and meatballs? Chicken lomein? Pasta puttanesca? Spaghetti and clam sauce? Another?
  • What’s your favorite pasta dish? Not talking with zoodles, but talking REAL DEAL PASTA! I love any pasta with seafood, especially spicy dishes. I also love B’s homemade turkey meatballs 🙂