Zoodles saved my life!

Ok, ok! Not literally, but they have been a game changer on this low carb diet!

I’ve been reaching the end of my tether with this low carb diet (which I’ve come to call ‘the slop diet’). Meat and mushy veg, or if I’m lucky, salad, gets old very quickly!

My favourite foods like Thai Curry, Mexican Chicken and Chilli Con Carne aren’t the same without a plate of basmati rice or some beautiful homemade potato wedges (with the chilli that is).

But today I got my ass into gear, whipped out my spiralizer and made some zucchini noodles AKA Zoodles (they should probably be called coodles in the UK as zucchini is courgette to us).

I wasn’t expecting much. After all how different can courgette taste when cut into thin strips?

The difference is quite remarkable as it turns out!

I started with these simple Pad Thai zoodles which turned out to be INSANELY moreish! So moreish that I ate both big bowls pictured here in one sitting! That’s the first time that’s happened since trying this diet!

Now I still don’t feel like this low carb diet is sustainable or necessary long term (I’ll explain why I’m doing it in another post), but with options this good it can at least be adhered to and keep you sane for short spells.

But regardless of whether you’re eating low carb or not, these Pad Thai Zoodles make an amazing meal — you’ve got to try ’em!

Give this recipe a shot and let us know what you think on Twitter or Instagram (@TrainEatGain).

Ingredients

Serves: 2

Macros*: Calories 573, Protein 43g, Carbs 28g, Fat 32g

2 medium courgettes

2 tbsp coconut oil or olive oil

300g fresh king prawns

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

½ bag stir fry veg including red pepper

1 small bag beansprouts

1 small onion or 3 spring onions

1 large egg

60g cashew nuts, chopped.

Coriander

Sauce:

2 tbsp white wine or rice vinegar

2 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp ketchup

½ tsp stevia (optional)

1 tsp umami paste

½ tsp cayenne pepper

Method

Mix the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Cut the courgettes into noodles using a spiralizer (I have a Zoodle Chef one from Amazon) Put a large pan on a medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the courgette noodles and cook for 3 minutes, stirring regularly. Leave the noodles to rest for a few minutes to allow the moisture out and then tip into a colander to drain. Wipe the pan to remove any water and then put it back on the heat with the rest of the oil and the garlic. Cook the garlic for a couple of minutes and then add the king prawns and cook until they turn pink – about 3-4 minutes. Add the stir fry veg and onion and cook for another couple of minutes. Push the veg to one side of the pan and add the egg. Use a wooden spoon to mix the egg white and yolk and then leave to cook into a kind of scrambled egg. Once it’s almost cooked, mix the egg into the veg. Add the courgette noodles back into the pan along with the sauce. Cook for a minute or two to heat them through and then stir in the bean sprouts and cashew nuts. Serve in large bowls with the coriander on top and get eating!

Note: Macros are given per serving of Pad Thai Zoodles assuming this makes 2 servings total.