One of the best parts about eating Inspiralized is that you get to eat the rainbow.
Now, what does “eat the rainbow” mean? Simply, eat colorfully. Foods of different colors all bring different nutritional benefits to the table and all play a key role in nourishing your body (and mind.)
Today, we’re using shades of green and orange to make a beautiful cold sesame noodle salad.
It’s all about the dressing, though. This dressing, somewhat similar to this Thai Quinoa and Zucchini Noodle Salad, absolutely makes this dish.
The recipe calls for either tahini or almond butter and depending on what you use, you’ll either get a slightly different flavor, but I’ve tried both, and I couldn’t decide – so I’m leaving it up to you. Kind of like the end to an R.L. Stein mystery book.
The crunchy carrots, cucumbers and zucchini noodles all wilt as they absorb the ingredients in the dressing, so let the dish sit in the refrigerator for a couple of hours for maximum texture and flavor. Then, it lasts up to 2 days comfortably in the refrigerator (before things start to water down and get soggy.)
Another note – in this picture, I’m using peas, but in the original recipe testing, I used edamame. Honestly, both were equally as tasty, but the edamame makes more “sense” here (Asian flavors call for Asian ingredients.)
If you don’t like edamame (or you can’t eat soy), then opt for the peas or substitute in another type of bean – or toss in some shredded chicken.
This is another great noodle salad to have in your repertoire and if you don’t stock them already in your pantry, this should now motivate you to do so. These essential ingredients include:
- Tahini
- Sesame oil
- Rice vinegar
- Soy sauce/tamari
- Sesame seeds
- Sriracha
Seriously though, stocking your pantry is the best thing you can do for your health. Having a well-stocked pantry can save you from those “let’s just order pizza” moments. I cook a lot from my pantry, especially when I’m low on produce – I’ll toss together zucchini noodles with some sesame oil, chicken and cashews et voila – a quick meal that came mostly from opening a cabinet.
End speil.
And by the way – did you see that Natalie Morales (from The Today Show) did a segment at her home, spiralizing….. with the Inspiralizer? If you haven’t already seen the video, check it out here:
Nutritional Information & Recipe
Weight Watchers SmartPoints*: 8 points
Cold Spiralized Sesame Noodle Salad
Ingredients
- 1 seedless English cucumber Blade D, noodles trimmed
- 1 large carrot peeled, Blade D, noodles trimmed
- 1 medium zucchini Blade D, noodles trimmed
- 1/2 cup shelled frozen edamame defrosted (or peas)
- 4-5 cups spinach thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped roasted unsalted almonds
- For the dressing:
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons tahini or creamy almond butter
- 2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 garlic clove pressed and minced
- 1 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce or chili garlic sauce or red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Pat dry the cucumber noodles to rid of excess moisture. Place into a large mixing bowl along with the carrot and zucchini noodles. Add in the edamame, spinach and almonds.
- Whisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing until creamy. Taste and adjust if necessary.
- Pour the dressing over the noodle salad and toss to combine thoroughly. Serve immediately or chill for future use, 1-2 days in the refrigerator for optimal freshness.
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