I give a lot of credit to food photographers (like my own cookbook photographer Evan Sung) and their ability to take gorgeous photos of food, no matter what the subject.
Steak is one of those really tough ones for me. I guess it’s because I don’t cook much steak, that I don’t have many opportunities to master the art of meat photography.
Ha! Is meat photography a thing?
What’s great about these photos, is that I have photos of the dish without the meat, so if you’re not a meat-eater, I hope it looks appetizing to you!
This zucchini noodle recipe is quickly becoming one of my favorite flavored dishes. As much as a fan of Italian cooking as I am, Asian flavors are starting to creep up as #1.
Szechuan just pretty much means it’s garlicky and a little spicy, which are probably two of my favorite ways to eat – with garlic and spice.
I mean – you can’t mess with cold sesame peanut noodles or crispy pork belly ramen, ya know? I’m a sucker for anything smothered in soy sauce, also.
But dang, bolognese with freshly grated parmesan cheese is pretty magical too.
I sound like a broken record, but one of my favorite things about spiralizing is how easily it lends itself to expanding the palate. Noodles and rice make up the majority of foodstuffs served globally, so naturally, spiralizing is global on the food scale.
Whether you want arroz con pollo, a Greek salad or a bowl of carbonara, you can make it spiralized – and with that, a healthier, more creative version!
On a final note, if you made my recipe yesterday and have extra cabbage, make this recipe! I had so much leftover cabbage, that I had to incorporate it into all meals that week – I tossed it in my salads and even braised it for dinner.
So – tell me. What’s your favorite type of spiralized cuisine?
Nutritional Information & Recipe
Weight Watchers SmartPoints*: 15 points
Szechuan Zucchini Noodles with Thai Ginger Steak
Ingredients
- For the dressing and steak:
- 2 large garlic cloves minced
- 4 teaspoons minced ginger
- 3 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
- 6 tablespoons soy sauce low sodium
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce or Sriracha
- 1/4 cup tahini a
- 3/4 pound skirt steak
- For the rest:
- 3 large zucchinis
- 1 lime
- 4 scallions
- 1/4 cup cashews
- 3 cups spiralized or simply shredded red cabbage
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 cup cooked edamame beans
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients for the dressing EXCEPT for the tahini into a food processor and pulse until creamy. Pour half of the dressing out and into a zip-seal bag or shallow glass dish and keep the rest in the food processor. In the bag or dish, add in the steak, toss to combine and refrigerate, letting marinate for at least 20 minutes. As for the tahini, add it into the food processor and pulse until creamy. Set aside and reserve.
- While the steak marinates, spiralize the zucchini (Blade D) and set aside. Then, quarter the lime. Then, slice the scallions diagonally and set aside. Then, place a small skillet over medium-high heat. While it heats, roughly chop the cashews and once heated, add in the cashews and toast for about 5 minutes or until golden brown and fragrant and then set aside.
- Heat a grill, cast iron skillet or grill pan to medium high - coat with cooking spray. Remove the steak from the marinade and shake off any excess and place the steak on the grill/skillet/pan. Season the steak with salt and pepper. Cook the steak for 2-4 minutes per side for medium rare (if the steak is thick, opt for 4 minutes, but if it’s thin, opt for 2).
- Transfer the steak to a cutting board and allow to rest for about 10 minutes. Slice the steak thinly against the grain.
- While the steak rests, place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add in the olive oil. Once oil heats, add in the cabbage, and half of the scallions. Season with salt and pepper, lime juice and cook for 2 minutes or until cabbage begins to soften. Then, add in the zucchini noodles and half of the reserved dressing and the edamame. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until zucchini noodles are al dente. Pour in the remaining dressing, toss to warm and then divide into bowls.
- Garnish each bowl with cashews and remaining scallions and top with steak. Serve with lime wedges.
comments