Vibrant & Healthy: Delicious Spiralized Vegetable Noodle Bowls with Creamy Peanut Sauce

As the new year unfolds, many of us set our sights on fresh starts and healthier habits. After the joyful indulgence that often accompanies holiday seasons, packed with rich desserts, an abundance of cheese, and various festive beverages, a collective desire to reset and nourish our bodies often emerges. It’s a common challenge to transition from celebratory feasts back to wholesome eating, especially when lingering treats still tempt from every corner of the house. Perhaps the most effective strategy is to tackle those leftover chocolates head-on – by making them disappear, of course, to eliminate the temptation entirely!

However, once those delectable distractions are out of the way, the path to healthy eating becomes much clearer and, dare I say, exciting. For me, the journey into crafting nutritious meals has been significantly invigorated, thanks to a fantastic new kitchen gadget: an OXO hand-held spiralizer. My initial foray into the world of spiralizing was met with a touch of skepticism. Could a simple tool truly transform vegetables into enticing pasta alternatives? The answer, I quickly discovered, is a resounding yes! I am now completely hooked. This compact device has become an indispensable part of my culinary routine, inspiring me to experiment with a vast array of vegetables and infusing a renewed sense of enthusiasm into preparing healthy dishes. And yes, it opens up possibilities for some less-than-healthy treats too – imagine the most amazing curly fries made from spiralized potatoes!

Mastering the technique of spiralizing does require a little practice, but it’s incredibly rewarding. I’ve found that the most effective way to use my spiralizer is to place it flat on a chopping board, firmly hold the vegetable in place with one hand, and then turn the spiralizer with the other, rather than attempting to rotate the vegetable itself. This method provides better leverage and control. I’ve had excellent results with a variety of produce, including courgette (zucchini), carrots, sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, cucumbers, and even beetroot. While tougher vegetables like sweet potato can provide a bit of a workout – and the food holder sometimes struggles with their firmness – the effort is absolutely worthwhile for the delicious results. A key tip: the spiralizer generally performs best with fairly plump vegetables. Attempting to spiralize a skinny carrot, for instance, can be challenging, so always opt for the thickest ones you can find when selecting carrots or courgettes. One of the greatest advantages of this particular hand-held model is its size; it’s wonderfully compact, easily fitting into a kitchen drawer without monopolizing precious counter or cabinet space. This makes it perfect for smaller kitchens or anyone looking to minimize clutter.

Embracing a spiralizer unlocks a whole new world of culinary creativity, transforming ordinary vegetables into playful, elegant, and incredibly versatile ‘noodles’. It’s not just about replicating pasta; it’s about introducing more fresh produce into your diet in an exciting way. Beyond the aesthetic appeal, spiralizing helps with portion control and adds delightful textures to dishes. Think about the nutritional boost you get from replacing traditional pasta with vibrant ribbons of carrots, cucumbers, or sweet potatoes. It also makes for a fantastic gluten-free alternative for those with dietary restrictions or simply looking to reduce their gluten intake. From crisp salads to light stir-fries, the possibilities are endless, making healthy eating both simple and enjoyable. This innovative tool genuinely turns meal preparation into an adventure, encouraging exploration and boosting overall vegetable consumption effortlessly.

Of all the dishes I’ve crafted using my spiralizer so far, these vibrant vegetable noodle bowls with peanut sauce have quickly become a firm favorite. This recipe features a delightful and colorful blend of sweet potato, carrot, and courgette noodles, perfectly complemented by wholesome buckwheat noodles and an incredibly simple yet profoundly flavorful creamy peanut sauce. It stands out as an exceptionally healthy and nutritious meal, yet it is remarkably filling and utterly delicious – not to mention incredibly quick and easy to prepare. You’ll notice that I haven’t exclusively used vegetable noodles in this dish, and that’s a conscious choice. I firmly believe in a balanced approach to eating and don’t advocate for cutting out carbohydrates entirely. For me, a meal simply doesn’t feel complete or satisfying without at least a modest portion of something carby. However, rest assured, the bulk of this dish remains gloriously vegetable-heavy, ensuring you get a significant nutritional boost.

The most time-consuming part of this recipe is arguably the preparation of all the vegetables, as spiralizing everything does take a little while. However, once that’s done, the actual cooking process is remarkably swift, requiring only about 15 minutes. The key is to cook the vegetables just until they’ve begun to soften, ensuring they retain a delightful bit of crunch – that’s when they are at their absolute best. I’ve also experimented with adding spiralized beetroot to this dish, which was lovely and added an earthy sweetness, but it does, as expected, turn the entire dish a beautiful shade of pink. While visually striking, I opted not to include it in this specific recipe for a more universally appealing color palette. However, if you’re keen on embracing pink noodles, simply add the beetroot to the pan at the same stage as the sweet potato for a truly vibrant and equally delicious twist.

The peanut sauce truly is the star of this dish, bringing all the different elements together with its rich, savory, and subtly spicy flavor profile. It’s a testament to how simple ingredients can create profound taste experiences. The combination of creamy peanut butter, the sweetness of honey, the umami depth of soy sauce, the tang of rice wine vinegar, and the aromatic sesame oil, all elevated by a hint of Sriracha, fresh garlic, and ginger, makes for an irresistible dressing. This sauce isn’t just for these noodles; it’s versatile enough to be used on salads, as a dip for spring rolls, or even as a marinade for proteins. Its balanced flavors are what make these healthy noodle bowls so incredibly appealing and satisfying, ensuring that a healthy meal never has to be a compromise on taste. It transforms a simple bowl of vegetables and noodles into a gourmet experience that caters to your taste buds while nourishing your body.

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Spiralized Vegetable Noodle Bowls With Peanut Sauce

Serves 2

Author Domestic Gothess

Ingredients

• Sauce:
• 3 tbsp smooth peanut butter or tahini
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• ½ tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp sriracha/hot sauce optional, add more or less to taste
• 1 garlic clove crushed or finely grated
• 1 inch piece of fresh ginger peeled and finely grated
• 2 tbsp boiling water
• Noodles:
• 140 g (5oz) buckwheat noodles
• 1 medium/large sweet potato peeled and spiralized
• 1 large fat carrot, peeled and spiralized
• 1 large courgette zucchini, spiralized
• sesame seeds/chopped peanuts slices of lime and sliced spring onions to serve

Instructions

• To make the sauce, whisk all of the ingredients together in a bowl until smooth; alternatively you can blitz them in a food processor. Set aside.
• Cook the noodles according to the instructions on the packet, drain, rinse with cold water and set aside.
• Place the sweet potato noodles in a wok with a splash of water, cook over a low heat, stirring regularly and adding more water as necessary, for about 10 minutes until the potato is tender but still retains some bite.
• Add the carrot noodles to the wok and cook for another minute or two until the carrot just begins to soften. Add the courgette noodles and cook for another minute, stirring regularly.
• Finally add the buckwheat noodles and the sauce, toss everything together and continue to cook until it is all warmed through. Be careful not to overcook it, you want the vegetables to retain a bit of crunch.
• Season with salt and pepper then serve topped with toasted sesame seeds or chopped peanuts and a scattering of sliced spring onions and a spritz of lime juice if you like.

This recipe is not just a meal; it’s an invitation to explore the delightful world of healthy, flavor-packed eating. The beautiful colors and varied textures make it a feast for the eyes as well as the palate. It’s incredibly versatile too – feel free to add your favorite protein like grilled chicken, pan-seared tofu, or shrimp for an even heartier meal. A sprinkle of chopped fresh cilantro or a dash of extra lime juice can also brighten the flavors further, customizing it to your personal preference. Whether you’re aiming for a healthier lifestyle, looking for quick and easy weeknight dinners, or simply craving something fresh and delicious, these spiralized vegetable noodle bowls with peanut sauce are sure to become a cherished addition to your recipe repertoire. They prove that eating well can be both effortless and immensely satisfying, making healthy choices a joy rather than a chore.

Disclosure: I was sent a free OXO spiralizer to review but I was not paid to write this post and all opinions are my own.