Spiralizers – what’s the deal?
Something that magically turns vegetables into guilt-free pasta. Sounds like black magic, right?
Spiralizers have been around for a while and if you follow any raw vegans on YouTube, you have probably seen them whipping up raw noodles and had a massive drool. If you’re trying to get healthier, lose weight, eat more vegetables or have an inventive time in the kitchen, a spiralizer is absolutely worth investing in.
What is a spiralizer?
A spiralizer is a handy kitchen tool you can wedge a courgette or carrot into and easily ‘spiralize’ vegetable noodles. It comes with a variety of blades that allow you to play with length and shape, is easy to clean and, best of all, super cheap.
You can buy them on Amazon (as I may have done myself) for as little as £15! I recommend investing in a good-quality brand, as you’ll likely get a lot of usage out of it.
How To Use and Why
Raw food is good for us, no doubt about that. And you absolutely don’t need to be a full-time raw foodist to enjoy a now-and-then crudité. Dabbling in a bowl of raw pasta or making giant raw salads as a part of your weekly routine will do your body a world of good.
We can process 100% of the nutritional value of raw food, as cooking depletes naturally-occurring enzymes. By eating unprocessed, uncooked organic vegetables, your body is digesting every mineral, every shred of fibre and every vitamin. Nothing gets lost! This is one reason people who are terminally ill, have some forms of disease or digestive difficulties turn to raw food – they need every bit of goodness possible, so make food their medicine. Massive healthy deposits of vitamins and minerals going in three times a day!
Another benefit is that you can eat large amounts guilt-free. Raw fruits and vegetables tend to be very low in calories, so you need to stock up and feast to get your calorie needs for the day (at least 2000 for women, according to most leading experts and the NHS).
This one shouldn’t come as a shock – feeling so much better after eating something like a Raw Beetroot Pasta with Zucchini Noodles than you will after eating a traditional cooked pasta. You feel lighter, more energised, fuelled up and satisfied. No gluten, no bloating!
How to make amazing spiralized pastas
It’s so simple! Along with your spiralizer, you need a strong blender to make sauces (though for the recipe I’ve included below, you don’t even need one of those!) and access to decent organic fruit and veg.
The first part of the process is pushing a minimum of two courgettes through the spiralizer, which will get easier the more you do it. Gusto, pace and confidence is key!
The second part, of course, is a delicious raw sauce. You can get inventive with this and combine flavours you enjoy. If you’re a beginner, it’s probably best to try a recipe online (FullyRaw Kristina has some amazing ones, including a Beetroot Marinara I tried and took a picture of above. Delicious!) or starting of simple; combine some fresh tomatoes, basil, celery and spinach in your blender and experiment with the flavours.
I’ve included for you my Raw Carbonara, a creamy, rich raw sauce using tahini and lemon juice.
Raw Vegan Carbonara
Ingredients:
2 Large zucchinis
2 cups of spinach or shredded cabbage.
1 cup cherry tomatoes
2 Tbsp Raw tahini (If you choose to use non-raw Tahini, please go ahead! They are both delicious.
Juice of a lemon (Have a second lemon spare in case you need extra juice)
1 cup water
Basil
Method:
Spiralize your zucchinis and place in a large bowl on top of your greens. I always leave the skins on!
Wash your cherry tomatoes and place on top of the noodles.
In a small bowl put your tahini and lemon juice, then VERY SLOWLY add the water and stir quickly so you eventually create a lovely, smooth, creamy sauce.
You may not need a full cup of water. Just continue until you have your desired consistency. I have found the more lemon juice, the “cheesier” the sauce will taste.
Pour your sauce on top, finish off with basil and devour!
