Zero Carb Noodles

[Cynthia Mosher]

Anyone tried these? I'm trying to keep my carbs down and really missing noodles! 

[Lazurii]

Which noodles are you talking about?  I've tired shirataki noodles from my local asian grocery store and I really enjoyed them.  I used them in a stir fry.  They were good for The Hubby since he has Type I diabetes.

This is a good "how to" on preparing them.

Edited to add:  These noodles are basically non-nutritional.  They have fiber.  So if you're planning on using them be sure to eat them with nutrient dense food.  When I served them to my kids I had a heck of a time trying to get them to eat the veggies and meat; they only wanted the noodles. 

[Cynthia Mosher]

I'm really not sure what they are made of or what company produces them. I'll have to search. I assumed they were made from soybeans though. No idea why though. 

No calories? Or just no carbs?

Thanks for the how-to. :)

[littlest birds]

Are you talking about for spaghetti or in other preparations?  We sometimes have done roasted vegetables or just big slices of portabella topped with a good thick garlicky spaghetti-style sauce and it's fabulous.

I avoid wheat and we do sometimes use Asian rice noodles in non-oriental pasta dishes but obviously they still have carbs. 

You can also eat a serving of pasta that's half the size of your usual noodle serving, but add twice as much sauce/topping and have twice as much salad.  You'll have the same generous meal with 50% of the carbs.  (But make sure your sauce is healthy!)

[Lazurii]

Originally Posted by Cynthia Mosher 

I'm really not sure what they are made of or what company produces them. I'll have to search. I assumed they were made from soybeans though. No idea why though. 

No calories? Or just no carbs?

The shirataki is made from yam fiber.  It is essentially calorie-free, containing less than 5 calories a large serving.

I try to stay away from soy, except for naturally fermented tamari.

[Cynthia Mosher]

Yam fiber, huh? Never would have guessed that one. Thanks for the info. And nice suggestions littlest birds! I suppose I'm looking for any sort of pasta-type to put sauce on, stir in veggies and make a quick, easy and low carb, low calorie meal. 

[PumaBearclan]

Can you just eat a smaller portion of noodles once in awhile? I eat very low carb but I have about 3/4 cup of starch every day. Usually it's potatoes or beans, but about once a week I have a side dish of noodles or pasta for variety.

[Cynthia Mosher]

Hi PumaBearclan! Yeah, I could. I guess I'm looking to indulge a bit more than that and more often than that and not pay a carb or calorie price. 

[PumaBearclan]

Perhaps you can stretch the portion of noodles by adding sprouts and asian cabbage. Eggplant also has a similar consistency (to me) as noodles. I use eggplant as a "starch" very often.

Bon Appetit!

[glassesgirlnj]

Not specific to carbs or noodles, but I find that I'm able to eat smaller portions if I've gotten enough sleep, and if I'm hydrated enough (especially if I drink a glass of water before eating).

Cynthia, you are in the Middle East, correct? This may be a dumb assumption on my part, but maybe it's even more important to stay hydrated in that climate?

[Cynthia Mosher]

Ooooh! good idea to stretch it with sprouts, especially because I'm sprouting mung beans right now. :)

It definitely is important to keep hydrated here, glassesgirlnj! I do okay there but I could do better, I'm sure.  I try to keep cucumber and lemon water on hand, which is much more appealing to me.

[llwr]

Spaghetti squash?  I found it an acceptable substitute.

[Cynthia Mosher]

Spaghetti squash is not bad - about 10 carbs for a little over a cup serving. 

[Lazurii]

I have such a hard time cooking spaghetti squash.  It's either undercooked or mush.

[littlest birds]

You can also use cauliflower.  It's pretty bland and you can grate it.

[Cynthia Mosher]

Originally Posted by littlest birds 

You can also use cauliflower.  It's pretty bland and you can grate it.

I do that for a "rice" substitute. Pretty good! 

[meemee]

Originally Posted by Lazurii 

I have such a hard time cooking spaghetti squash.  It's either undercooked or mush.

how do you cook it? i pierce mine deeply and then throw it in the oven 350 whole  for an hour. i think  i've even gone almost 2 but its never turned to mush.

if i do add it to pasta sauce (i usually prefer to make a salad) i dont add it to the pasta sauce but i add the pasta sauce to the squash as i can never figure out how much pasta sauce i need. however my pasta sauce is THICK and filled choc a block with veggies. 

[Lazurii]

I'll cut it open and bake it or stab it all over and boil the whole thing.  Maybe I need to try again.

[newmamalizzy]

You can cook the spaghetti squash right in the microwave, like you would a potato. If using it as noodles, I find it essential to sauté the cooked squash briefly (with garlic is yummy) to get rid of excess water. I'll usually add some of the sauce right to the sauté pan to help it all meld. Nothing worse than watery "pasta," IMO.

Also, I really like lightly sautéed cabbage "noodles" for Asian-type dishes.

[Jackeke]

I *personally* am not a fan of using spaghetti squash as a substitute for noodles. Its sweet, crunchy and tastes and feels nothing like noodles IMO. However it tastes great with a bit of parmesan cheese sprinkled on top :D

My favorite pasta substitute out of EVERYTHING I have ever tried is brown rice pasta. I buy the fusili kind from Trader Joes for $2 a bag. I found whole wheat pasta to be too husky and grainy but brown rice pasta tastes just like the real thing. My second choice is the "zero carb noodles" which I do like but have a kind of weird springy texture I think