Gluten-Free Pasta: Spiralized Squash
Being pasta obsessed and gluten-intolerant has been a challenge and I've had to be open minded and creative. I used to be a bread fanatic and so noodles made out of squash would not have sounded appealing to me 4 years ago, today though it's a different story.
Thanks to a friend at work I was introduced to this magnificient kitchen toy called the spiralizer. It has 3 different setting so you can slice, have big spirals and little spirals. I find it wonderful for making pasta out of squash as well as shoe string potatoes (but that is a story for another time).
This contraption is so easy to you, believe me you will LOOK for things to make noodles out of. To make enough noodles for my husband and I it takes 2 squashAfter I have made my noodles I usually take my kitchen scissors and cut them to make them not as long. You can pour sauce over this raw OR cook it so that the noodles are softer. I have made it both ways but honestly prefer to cook them in oil for at least 5 minutes. I get a wok (or any pan could work) and drizzle olive oil in it (most likely 2 tablespoons) with fresh herbs and ground pepper. I think stir the squash occassionally until it looks fully cooked. It is much quicker than regular pasta and very healthy.
3 reasons to try squash noodles:
1. Everyone needs more vegetables in their diet, and this will help you easily hit your required veggie intake
2. This is a very cheap & quick way to make pasta
3. IT'S SOMETHING NEW
I love trying new things and I think it adds so much more adventure to the kitchen when you try something that you normally wouldn't. For someone like me that can't have gluten, this is a great alternative and keeps my cooking CLEAN.
In the first picture I have featured my noodles, pasta sauce and italian sausage. I highly recommend throwing some sausage or ground beef in your pasta mix every once in a while because aside from the added protein, meat tends to enhance the flavor!
xoxo
