FRIDAY FAVORITES: Skinny Zoodles (Zucchini Noodle) Recipes
Happy Friday!
We are sliding into the weekend with another giveaway!
I had so much fun reading about your dreams and desires last weekend.
Talk about an incredible mood lifter. Your positive energy had me buzzing all weekend.
Thank you! (Click here to read all the great comments and see who won.)
Today we're talking "zoodles" (zucchini noodles).
Have you seen recipes for them? Tried them?
Zucchini sliced into pasta-like ribbons have been quite the rage for some time, especially with folks doing low-carb, paleo, gluten-free and Weight Watchers.
If you haven't yet tried zucchini noodles, take note: They're delicious!
A light and healthy alternative to pasta, you can pretty much sauce them any way you would pasta - garlic and olive oil, Parmesan and red pepper flakes, marinara sauce, pesto, alfredo!
Substituting a cup of zucchini noodles for pasta will save you a whopping 5 SmartPoints too!
There are several kitchen tools you can use to turn zucchini into noodles. Vegetable peelers, julienne peelers and Mandoline Slicers can all get the job done.
And there's a little device called the Veggetti (which I picked up at TJ Maxx) that works like an old-school manual pencil sharpener.
The most popular tool for making vegetable noodles is called a Spiralizer. Since I'm forever trying to simplify my life and my kitchen, am not usually a fan of single-purpose kitchen tools, and barely have space as it is, I've delayed purchasing one.
But my brother and sister, both proud owners, give it high marks.
So, I've spent the past few days gathering Weight Watchers friendly zucchini noodles recipes, tips, hints and "how-to" videos.
And even made zucchini pasta for lunch two times this week. Once with olive oil, garlic, chopped tomatoes and a sprinkle of Parmesan (a Weight Watchers version of this one from The Pioneer Woman).
And once with pesto, chopped roasted bell pepper and chopped turkey.
While I've made zucchini ribbons before, I was really surprised at how much I loved the taste and texture of the "spaghetti" shaped noodles.
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If I'd been blindfolded I would have sworn I was eating al-dente pasta!
What makes me most excited about the spiralizer is how fun it makes creating, cooking and eating vegetables for kids and adults of all ages!
So, if you're looking for a fun way to get more vegetables into your life, this little kitchen gadget may be just the thing, so to kick things off we're going to give one away! (Scroll down to the end of the post for all the details.)
Here's a Great Video Demonstrating How to Use the Spiralizer (affiliate link) to Make Zucchini Noodles…
And to spark your creative juices, here's a great list of zucchini noodle recipes from my favorite Weight Watchers sites, with calories, PointsPlus and SmartPoints when available.
Talk about variety! I've got several bookmarked to try in the coming weeks.
Skinny Zucchini Noodles (Zoodles) Recipes from My Favorite Weight Watchers Sites:
- Cashew Chicken with Zucchini Noodles
336 calories, 9 myWW *SmartPoints (LaaLoosh) - Chicken and Zucchini Noodle Caprese
342 calories, 7 3 3 myWW *SmartPoints (SkinnyTaste) - Cold Sesame Zucchini Noodles
137 calories, 3 2 2 myWW *SmartPoints (Hungry Girl) - Creamy Ricotta Zucchini Noodles
129 calories, 3 3 3 myWW *SmartPoints (Slender Kitchen) - CrockPot Chicken Zoodle Soup
90 calories, 2 0 0 myWW *SmartPoints (Dashing Dish) - Garlic Parmesan Zucchini Noodles with Sausage
317 calories, 8 8 8 myWW *SmartPoints (Slender Kitchen) - Kung Pao Chicken Zoodles for Two
277 calories, 7 5 5 myWW *SmartPoints (SkinnyTaste) - Lemon Garlic Zucchini Noodles
142 calories, 4 myWW *SmartPoints (Eat Yourself Skinny) - Parmesan Zucchini Noodles
91 calories, 2 2 2 myWW *SmartPoints (Slender Kitchen) - Raw Zucchini Noodles with Tomatoes & Pesto
148 calories, 4 4 4 myWW *SmartPoints (SkinnyTaste) - Shrimp Piccata with Zucchini Noodles
330 calories, 7 6 6 myWW *SmartPoints (SlenderKitchen) - Shrimp Scampi with Zucchini Noodles
286 calories, 5 4 4 myWW *SmartPoints (Slender Kitchen) - Shrimp Zoodles Parmesan for Two
375 calories, 7 4 4 myWW *SmartPoints (SkinnyTaste) - Thai Red Curry Tofu with Zucchini Noodles
303 calories, 7 7 4 myWW *SmartPoints (Slender Kitchen) - Zoodles and Meatballs
325 calories, 6 myWW *SmartPoints (SkinnyTaste) - Zucchini Noodles Marinara
117 calories, 3 3 3 myWW *SmartPoints (Hungry Girl) - Zucchini Spaghetti with Shrimp
290 calories, 5 4 4 myWW *SmartPoints (Hungry Girl) - Zucchini Noodles with Creamy Avocado Pesto
172 calories, 6 5 myWW *SmartPoints (Eat Yourself Skinny) - Zucchini Noodle Lo Mein
277 calories, 4 2 myWW *SmartPoints (Hungry Girl)
How To Make Zucchini Noodle Lo Mein Video...
Search for More Weight Watchers Friendly Zucchini Recipes
Frequently asked questions about zucchini noodles:
Q: How much should I make?
A: Plan on about 1 medium sized zucchini per person. It may seem like a lot, but once they are cooked they shrink a lot.
Q: How do I cook them?
A: Boiling - If you're going to mix them with pasta, plunge them right into the boiling water with the pasta as soon as the pasta is done. They only need to simmer for a minute or two to get soft and can be drained right along with the pasta.
Pan Cooking - This seems to be the preferred method. Just a minute or two in a large skillet (affiliate link) set over medium heat is all it takes to soften them up for serving. Think stir-fry -cook them hot and fast like you would in a wok and then serve immediately.
Q: Sometimes when I add a sauce it turns runny, how do I avoid that?
A: Zucchini has a very high water content, so after cooking, if you add a sauce, it can tend to get soupy. Try using thicker sauces. Another trick is to plan ahead and expel some of the water from your zucchini, first. Toss your raw zoodles with kosher salt (about ¼ teaspoon per small/med zucchini) and then place them in a mesh strainer (affiliate link) that drains over a bowl.
More Helpful Videos on Making Zucchini Noodles...
How to cook noodles:
3 Favorite Zoodle Recipes:
More Weight Watchers Zucchini Recipes:
- Weight Watchers Chicken and Polenta with Zucchini Tomato Sauce
- Crispy Baked "Zucchini Fries"
- Baked Pasta with Zucchini and Cottage Cheese
- Italian "Zucchini Sauce" with Penne and Chicken Sausage
- Skinny Curried Zucchini Soup
- Skinny Zucchini Apple Loaf Cake
Spiralizer Giveaway Details…
Today, because it’s Friday, because it's my favorite day of the week, because I care about you and want to help you have fun while eating more vegetables, I'm giving away a Spiralizer!
I don't own one of these fun kitchen gadgets yet, but both my brother and sister are huge fans! Anything that makes eating your vegetables fun and delicious is pretty awesome in my book 🙂
TO ENTER
To enter the giveaway, just answer the following question in the Comments section of this post:
"What's your favorite vegetable and why?"
Just let me know which vegetable you prefer and why and you're entered to win the spiralizer (affiliate link).
THE RULES
One entry per person, please
Winners will be announced Sunday night. Be sure to check back to see if you won!!
Good luck!
Giveaway sponsored by Simple Nourished Living.
5/1/16 Giveaway has ended!!
The winner of the Spiralizer (affiliate link) is:
Linda G. "I love almost all vegetables. Always seeking to lower calories, fat, sugar, roasting vegetables is my favorite method of cooking. This brings out wonderful flavors in squash, zucchini, okra, brussels sprouts etc."
Congratulations, Linda! Contact support@simple-nourished-living.com to claim your prize!
And thanks to all of you who stopped by and participated by sharing your favorite veggies with us! I loved all the delicious ways you have for preparing them 🙂
*Points® calculated by WW. *PointsPlus® and SmartPoints® calculated by Simple Nourished Living; Not endorsed by Weight Watchers International, Inc. All recipe ingredients except optional items included in determining nutritional estimates. SmartPoints® values calculated WITHOUT each plan's ZeroPoint Foods (Green plan, Blue plan, Purple plan) using the WW Recipe Builder.
Martha is the founder and main content writer for Simple-Nourished-Living.
A longtime lifetime WW at goal, she is committed to balancing her love of food and desire to stay slim while savoring life and helping others do the same.
She is the author of the Smart Start 28-Day Weight Loss Challenge.
A huge fan of the slow cooker and confessed cookbook addict, when she's not experimenting in the kitchen, you're likely to find Martha on her yoga mat.
This giveaway is sponsored by Simple Nourished Living. Awarded prize may differ slightly (color, design, etc.) from images that appear here - based on availability. Giveaway prizes may be forfeited if not claimed within 90 days.
This post contains affiliate links to products I like. When you buy something through one of my Amazon links or other (affiliate links), I receive a small commission that helps support this site. Thank you for your purchase!
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Cindy
Oh my, a favorite? I guess carrots. They are so good raw, roasted, baked, boiled, in soup, in stir fries and spiralized. There isn't a dish you can't use them in!
Ellen Schomburg
I love all vegetables but carrots are my go to for most lunches, so easy to grab a bunch of baby carrots. I eat them alone , with hummus or other dip.
Shannon Stamp
My new favorite vegetable is cauliflower. I just started to roast it in the oven and it brings a whole new veggie to the table.
Donna Anderson
I would love to win the spiralizer. It would make prepping so much easier and quicker. I had the old one and always lost so much of what I was preparing but this model looks amazing! My favorite vegetable is asparagus, but with this handy spiralizer, I will move onto bigger and better veggies and may even find a new favorite. I love the variety of vegetables that can be used with it.
Thanks for reading, and I hope I win! 🙂
Deb
My favorite veggies are zucchini and asparagus! Love to roast them...so many of my recipes I substitute zucchini for the noddles. I'm hoping I win this so I can make my " noodles" from veggies!!
Courtnee Hardie
I love carrots. Mostly just raw carrots bc they are so crunchy and delicious all on their own. You don't have to do anything to them and they're just so yummy!
Carole Shadoan
Would love to win a spiralizer and try some of the recipes.
Beverly Vallone
There really isn't a favorite vegetables for me as I LOVE them all. Having said that, the real reason I love them all is that using great recipes enhances them.
Nancy
My favorite is asparagus. I'm not sure why; perhaps because it is available fresh and local for such a short time. I love it roasted with a little olive oil, seasoning and Parmesan.
Maggie Lou
Tough call on which veggie is my favorite .........I have two - Red Cabbage and Brussels Sprouts.
Although Cauliflower is great too. Same goes for Sweet Onions, Broccoli and Jicama, Tomatoes and my favorite
lettuce is Romaine. If you'd asked which protein is my least favorite that would have been easy......LIVER.
That food was the bane of my childhood and isn't allowed in my kitchen. Beets were too but as an adult I've come to love them.
Caroline Casper
My go to veggies in the winter are frozen broccoli and cauliflower. I add a little olive oil and sprinkle with garlic pepper and microwave. I would like to try the spaghetti zucchini.
Lillian
I love roasted brussel sprouts with garlic and olive oil. I also love roasted sweet potatoes with garlic and cajun seasonings.
Laura Crager
My favorite veggie is zucchini. I love it cooked any way, I would love to be able to make zoodles to increase my weight loss
Mary
Probably broccoli. It is so versatile; you can do so much with it, hot or cold
Addie
My favorite veggie is asparagus. Love the flavor. It's easy to prepare and great to eat hot or cold.
Rosalie
I love broccoli...raw, steamed, roasted...plain or with other veggies, pasta, rice, chicken, turkey, casseroles. It is delicious cold, hot or room temperature. summer, winter, spring and fall...with eggs. I have broccoli almost everyday.
Merry Johnston
My favorite vegetable is broccoli. It can be eaten hot or cold.
Andrea
I love spinach. It's so versatile. I use it in salads, veggie lasagna, soups, and of course just sautéed.
Christi
My favorite vegetable is beets. They make wonderful "noodles". I make a point friendly peanut sauce to top them off. Simply delicious!
Krystal
Lately it's been the zucchini due to me new spiralizer. They work breakfast (w/egg whites), lunch on salad and "pasta" dinner.