Cooking Tool of the Month – Spiralizer
You may be wondering why I haven't posted my own recipe this month using the spiralizer or why you haven't gotten a video. It's because I'm house sitting for a friend in Austin and most my kitchen tools are boxed up back home waiting for the move to my new home in Austin. But, I promise to have a video for you later this week!!
Today's recipe comes from Amber of Almost Vegan. Amber was one of the many friends I met through blogging and Twitter and was able to meet in person when she came to visit Dallas. We have very similar philosophies on food. I love her new cookbook that shows raw food can be done by anyone and doesn't have to be all or nothing. If you haven't checked out Practically Raw you must! Here's a teaser recipe from the book.
My spiralizer has revolutionized the way I think of pasta dinners! They used to be heavy, starchy affairs, but with noodles made of zucchini or other vegetables in place of wheat, they can be hydrating, refreshing, and ultra-healthy. And a meal this light is the perfect excuse to save room for a delightful raw dessert afterward!
Spaghetti alla Marinara
Yield: 4 servings
From Practically Raw: Flexible Raw Recipes Anyone Can Make by Amber Shea Crawley, (c) 2012. Used by permission.
In the past, I wasn’t wild on raw marinara sauce, but when I discovered the magic formula—approximately a 1:1 ratio of sundried tomatoes to fresh, plus a date or two to balance out the tomatoes’ acidity—that all changed. When you taste this full-flavored sauce, I hope you’ll become a convert too! Make sure to only add as much water as you need to get a smooth purée; the zucchini noodles will release some liquid when tossed with the sauce, so you’ll want the marinara to be thick. If you prefer a chunkier sauce, make it in a food processor and use even less water.
For the marinara sauce:
1 cup sundried tomatoes, soaked for 30 minutes and drained
2 medium ripe tomatoes, cored, seeded, and chopped
1 large or 2 small pitted dates
1 small clove garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 to 3/4 cup filtered water, as needed
For the spaghetti:
4 medium zucchini, peeled if desired, spiralized, and set in a colander to drain
Combine all sauce ingredients including 1/2 cup water, in a high-speed blender and blend to combine. Add more water, 2 tablespoons at a time, as needed to help blend smoothly.
In a large bowl, toss the zucchini noodles with the marinara sauce. Serve immediately.
Per serving: 124 calories, 4.4g fat (1g sat), 20g carbs, 6g fiber, 5.7g protein
Substitutions
Dates: 1 tablespoon agave nectar, coconut nectar, or any other liquid sweetener
Balsamic vinegar: red wine vinegar or lemon juice
Zucchini: yellow squash, or 2 (12-ounce) bags kelp noodles, rinsed and drained
Cooked variation
Toss the marinara sauce with cooked whole grain spaghetti instead of spiralized zucchini.
Amber Shea Crawley is a linguist, chef, and author specializing in healthful vegan and raw food. Known for her flexible recipes and friendly voice, she was classically trained in the art of gourmet living cuisine at the world-renowned Matthew Kenney Academy, graduating in 2010 as a certified raw and vegan chef. In 2011, she earned her Nutrition Educator certification at the Living Light Culinary Arts Institute. Her first cookbook, Practically Raw: Flexible Raw Recipes Anyone Can Make is 100% vegan and debuted in March 2012. Amber blogs at AlmostVeganChef.com and can be found on Facebook and Twitter.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012 - 11:43 am
Sounds good. I really need to get myself a spiralizer though..I'm missing out on quick and easy veggie noodles. I make my ribbons with a peeler but it's annoying and slow
Wednesday, June 20, 2012 - 12:58 pm
The peeled-ribbon-method definitely works, but the spiralizer makes it extra fun (and pasta-like!).
Wednesday, June 20, 2012 - 4:49 pm
Emma I will have a video Friday that will show you another tool that does it fast and easy! Keep an eye out.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012 - 12:39 pm
i was scouring the web for raw marinara sauces last night – now i have one to try! thanks for sharing!
Wednesday, June 20, 2012 - 12:57 pm
Yay! Hope you love it. :D
Wednesday, June 20, 2012 - 12:53 pm
Hi Amber,
I noticed you are in Austin. I live in San Antonio. I am fairly new to the vegan/raw world, and if you ever offer some beginner "cooking" classes in San Antonio, I would be soooooo interested!!!
Am following your blog and have ordered your book.
Thanks for your inspiration
Wednesday, June 20, 2012 - 12:57 pm
Hi Robin,
I actually live in Kansas City, Missouri – but I'm sure Christy will be holding some excellent vegan cooking classes once she's settled in Austin! :)
Thanks so much for ordering Practically Raw!!
Wednesday, June 20, 2012 - 4:50 pm
HI Robin! Yes I should have some classes in San Antonio at some point. I will add you to my email list so you can get updates. My book is Blissful Bites (Click the photo in the footer) if you want to check it out!
Thursday, June 21, 2012 - 9:02 am
Perfect timing for this recipe. I just got a spiral cutter yesterday and was trying to figure out what to make now.
Thursday, June 21, 2012 - 9:50 am
We’ve featured recipes all month using it so take a look at all the blog posts. Monday’s post includes a round-up of spiralizer recipes, so you are all set! Have fun!
Friday, June 22, 2012 - 12:31 pm
[...] the food in a way that’ll let you best enjoy it – serve the raw tomato sauce from my Spaghetti alla Marinara over cooked pasta if you like, for instance, or throw some beans or corn chips into my Fiesta Taco [...]