Once you get past a toaster and perhaps a slow cooker, your kitchen counter-space is at a premium – and a gadget designed to slice courgettes into pleasing shapes isn’t the obvious next step. But there’s a reason food bloggers and fitness hipsters are turning to the spiraliser in droves: by letting you reinvent starchy, processed staples like noodles and spaghetti using the magic of fresh green veg, it’ll let you hit your five a day while still getting your Lady & The Tramp on with an appropriate partner.
Courgettes in particular are a spiralising dream. As well as being a slightly annoying portmanteau word, “courgetti” is actually worth its hype. It only takes 20 seconds to boil, and contains around 300 fewer calories per 100g than pasta. It’s a go-to substitute for those wanting to cut down on carbs, too – a medium courgette has just 6g of carbs, compared with 22g in a 100g serving of pasta. Plus it provides over 50% of your RDA of immunity-boosting vitamin C.
Of course, courgettes aren't the only thing you can shove in a machine and turn into satisfyingly perfect curly strips (we used a Lurch Spirali, £24, FYI). Here’s your entry-level guide to putting body fat on a downward spiral.
For breakfast: Energy waffles
Ingredients
- 1 sweet potato
- 1tsp cinnamon
- 1tsp coconut oil
- 1tbsp natural yogurt
- Drizzle of honey
- Handful of blueberries
To make
Spiralise the sweet potato and mix with the cinnamon and coconut oil. Spread the mixture evenly in a waffle maker or lidded grill and cook until crisp. Serve with blueberries, yogurt and honey to supercharge your morning.
For lunch: Slimming noodle salad
Ingredients
- 1 cucumber
- 40g mozzarella, shredded
- 2tsp extra virgin olive oil
- Handful of baby plum tomatoes, halved
- Handful of black olives, sliced
- Fresh basil leaves
To make
Create a carb-free feast by simply mixing the spiralised cucumber in a bowl with the mozzarella, olive oil, tomatoes and olives. Serve garnished with the basil.
For dinner: Bulk-up pasta bake
Ingredients
- 1 courgette
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 garlic clove
- ½ an onion
- 1tbsp olive oil
- 1tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 50g cheddar, grated
To make
Spiralise the courgette and place it in a baking dish. Blend the garlic, tomatoes, onion, olive oil and Worcestershire sauce in a food processor and spread over the courgette noodles, then sprinkle the protein-rich cheddar evenly over the top. Bake at 160°C/gas 3 for 30 minutes or until the cheese is browned.
