This little gadget I am about to tell you about was a TOTAL impulse buy. Ever have one of those? I saw it on-line and just bought it. It looked so cool. It’s called a veggie spiral cutter
This is what I made the vegetable noodles with:
So I have to say that the instructions that came with my new veggie spiral cutter
Here are some tips to get started:
- Be sure to pick the freshest produce that you can find. Limp, soft veggies will not work on this spiral cutter.
- Try to find veggies with a thick diameter. Thin veggies are difficult to cut.
- The straighter the better. Stay away from crook necked squash and oddly shaped veggies. This slicer likes them straight.
- Some veggies are best lightly steamed. I find that it improves the flavor and makes them more digestible. Too much RAW food can be hard on the digestion and the gut.
- Before you get started, be sure that the spiral cutter is securely attached to your counter top (with the suction cups on the bottom) as you will need a little bit of traction to spiral cut your foods. I was surprised how tightly the suction cups held on to my kitchen counter.
- And oh, yeah!!! Be creative. You can make veggie noodles with just about anything with this spiral cutter.
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What I’ve made so far:
Zucchinis: These noodles turned out great. I wasn’t crazy about the raw zucchini flavor so I place them in a colander in the sink and poured boiling water over them. I rinsed them with cold water and drained them well. I tossed them with a simple sesame ginger sauce (recipe below.) They were reminiscent of a seaweed salad I get at the sushi place we go to. Worked great!!!
Yellow Summer Squash: Very similar to zucchinis. I poured boiling water over these too to soften them a bit. You could also lightly steam them for 1-2 minutes.
Cucumbers: These were fun. I love cucumber salad from the sushi place and the homemade sesame ginger dressing I made was fabulous with these. I added strawberries for a little fun.
Carrots: Carrot noodles are a great side dish to any meal. You can eat them alone or with some simple sauce. Or add them to a salad for a creative look. I sprinkled on some apple cider vinegar, celtic sea salt, and chopped cilantro. Really nice!!
Yams: I love yams. And I loved these yam noodles. They were delicious with a ginger almond butter sauce (recipe below). Add a little chicken and green veggie, and you have a yummy, satisfying meal. I steamed the yam noodles for 3 minutes and then rinsed them in cold water. You could also blanch them briefly to soften. YUM!!
Other things to try:
- Raw apple noodles
- Jicama noodles
- Winter squash noodles (I would recommend lightly steaming)
- Raw pear noodles
The possibilities are endless…
I have found that vegetable noodles need just a titch of flavor. Toss with a simple sauce and you are ready to go. Here are a couple little sauces that I made:
Simple Sesame Ginger Sauce:
- 1 TBS apple cider vinegar (like this)
- 2 TBS coconut aminos (a soy sauce alternative) (like this)
- 2 TBS toasted sesame oil (like this)
- 1/4 -1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger
- sesame seeds, raw – for garnish (like this)
- Combine all ingredients in a small bowl (except sesame seeds) and mix until well incorporated. Garnish with sesame seeds.
Ginger Almond Butter Sauce:
- 1 TBS almond butter
- 3 TBS hot homemade broth (or water)
- 1 TBS coconut aminos (like this)
- 1 TBS fresh lime juice
- 1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger
- pinch of celtic sea salt (like this)
- pinch of cayenne, optional (like this)
- Combine all ingredients in small bowl and mix until well incorporated.
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GiGi Eats Celebrities says
June 6, 2013 at 10:05 pmOBSESSED!!!! I love anything shaped in spaghetti form! I buy spaghetti squash every other day *like 16 pounds worth* because I just love the consistency (and the taste too of course). I really need to get a spiraler!!! 🙂
Katja says
June 7, 2013 at 3:45 amI’m obsessed too. The spiralizer is so fun… and easy. I was really surprised how functional it is. You would love it. 🙂
Linda says
June 7, 2013 at 3:32 amGreat post! I just purchased a Spirooli vegetable spiral cutter and appreciate all your tips, especially pouring hot water over the zucchini and summer squash for better flavor. The recipes look wonderful, and I can’t wait to try them. Thanks so much!!!
Katja says
June 7, 2013 at 3:41 amYou are going to love it. So fun!
Heather @Gluten-Free Cat says
June 10, 2013 at 10:30 pmRaw pear noodles??? Brilliant! I must try your sauces. Like you, I spiralize everything I can get my hands on and I love finding new sauces to try. I’m thinking your ginger almond is next on my list! Hope you’ll come share this with Raw Foods Thursdays this week!
Heather
Rachel says
June 12, 2013 at 9:47 pmThis is fabulous!!! Thanks for posting it!
Katherine says
August 12, 2013 at 7:01 pmI just got one too and love it! I didn’t really know what I was doing either and I agree the instructions were not good. I sauteed carrot and zucchini noodles for a few minutes in a little bit of coconut oil, and they were very good in my dish with just the right softness. Just thought you might like to know they can be sauteed too. 🙂 Thanks for the sauce recipes.
Katja says
August 13, 2013 at 8:35 amI haven’t sauteed mine yet. Definitely going to try it. Thanks for the tip. 🙂
Angela says
September 2, 2013 at 2:51 pmThanks Katja! This is such an inspiring post. I too have purchased one that I haven’t taken out of the box yet. Your recipes sound tasty and I can’t wait to try them.
Katja says
September 3, 2013 at 7:09 pmyou will love how easy it is. It’s also easy to clean which is nice. I use it often.
Betsy T says
September 15, 2013 at 12:41 pmI love mine – I find I can eat more of the good-for-me food if I spiralize food, and I don’t miss pasta! (well once in a while I crave my old mac n cheese). Thanks for a great blog and super tips! I love the zucchini or butternut noodles with garlic, butter, and salt. YUM!
Katja says
September 15, 2013 at 1:25 pmWe use ours all of the time. Just made apple noodles for my little one…. 🙂
Karin says
September 17, 2013 at 12:24 pmyou can also “salt” the zucchini, poor sea salt on them, sit 20 minutes, then rinse well. Really resembles pasta for me.
Katja says
September 17, 2013 at 4:39 pmgood tip!
Terri Lynne says
January 16, 2014 at 2:35 pmI couldn’t wait to get my spiralizer. I ordered it on line and started using it the moment it arrived. I like to take an organic butternut squash and make thin noodles that I saute in olive oil and grass fed butter, along with pepper and sea salt, until slightly tender.. I then make a meat sauce with grass fed ground beef, onions, fresh spinach, crushed tomato basil sauce, garlic powder, italian seasoning, pepper and sea salt. I add some healthy extra fat with a tablesppon of coconut oil. Pour the meat sauce on top of the sauted butternut squash noodles….soooooo good! Another favorite is making zuchinni noodles sauted in a pan with organic grape tomatoes and mushrooms. Add some olive oil, lemon zest, sea salt and pepper….yum! The spiralizer is my favorite kitchen gadget!
Katja says
January 19, 2014 at 3:42 pmI love mine too. Just made raw apple noodles for my little one. So fun!
Barbara Delgado says
August 1, 2014 at 8:51 amI just bought the Spirooli Vegetable cutter and you are right. The instructions are minimal so your recipes are a great help. I am 80 years old and enjoy trying new things. This is fun. I didn’t have the strength for the potato but my husband did, so he helps me out. Great tips and recipes I want to try them all. Thank you so much.
Katja says
August 3, 2014 at 7:40 pmBarbara,
I am so glad that you are loving your spiralizer. I make “noodles” all of the time. So great that you are trying new things!
Debbie says
March 30, 2015 at 12:21 pmI have the same spiralizer and love it. The only problem I experienced was with carrots. I could not get it to work. Any suggestions?
Katja says
March 31, 2015 at 8:04 pmThe trick is to use the fattest, most sturdy carrot that you can find. It is not easy but is doable. 🙂
Jeff says
March 31, 2015 at 12:35 pmWha ?!?!? >>>> Too much RAW food can be hard on the digestion and the gut.<<<<<< totally disagree
Katja says
May 21, 2015 at 10:01 amYes, raw foods do contain enzymes that are healthy and amazing, but raw vegetables also contain cellulose, a fiber that is poorly digested by humans. Though fiber has little nutritional value, it is very important for intestinal health and for helping form a healthy stool. But unlike cows and other ruminants, humans simply do not have the enzymes in our bodies necessary to properly digest the fiber in vegetables.
Traditional cultures were well aware that raw vegetables were difficult to digest; in Chinese Medicine, for example, it is well known that raw foods are best eaten by someone with strong “digestive fire.” A major cause of poor “digestive fire” is that our adrenals and thyroid are both poorly nourished and taxed by toxins and daily stress. Fermentation of raw vegetables has been done for ages mot only to preserve food but also to make it more digestible.
Hernrietta says
August 31, 2017 at 7:11 amFermenting foods is off limits for candida cleansing. unless of course you use ACV.
Stephanie Smith says
July 1, 2019 at 4:34 pmWhat is ACV? I am researching in order to consider candida cleanse.
Katja Heino says
July 2, 2019 at 12:03 pmACV is apple cider vinegar. 🙂
LOIS says
June 28, 2015 at 8:57 amI like to lightly saute summer squash and zucchini noodles with thinly sliced Vidalia onions in a little olive oil. Than I throw in a handful of shredded sharp cheddar and voila!
Debra Vogt says
May 19, 2016 at 1:18 pmI’m a zoodler!! Love them! Never thought about sweet potatoes zoodled!! Def will try soon! Thank you for tips!! XOXO
Suzanne says
September 28, 2016 at 9:00 amHave you tried beets?
Katja Heino says
September 28, 2016 at 10:57 amYes! I like making noodles with golden beets. Less messy. 😉
Stephanie Smith says
July 1, 2019 at 4:33 pmI purchased a different one from my place of work called “Noodleizer” and it does pretty much the same thing but I’m still going to have to figure out how to use it too. I’m also a visual learner so I’m going to waste some veggies at 1st to figure this thing out LOL. I just want more healthy choices and exciting flavors along with those choices so….. Yep, gonna try this. Thank you.
Katja Heino says
July 2, 2019 at 12:05 pmOnce you get the hang of it, making noodles from veggies is pretty easy and fun. I like adding different textures to my meals with veggie noodles. Good luck! 🙂