Miracle Noodles....they really are a miracle :)

First as someone on a relatively limited carbohydrate nutrition plan, and now as a gluten-free girl, my life doesn't contain much in the way of pasta. Sure, on occasion, I'll have a bit of gluten-free pasta (like when I was in Italy this past Spring) but for me pasta is generally not worth the high calories and blood sugar spike (and crash) that follows.

When my eyes were opened up to Miracle Noodles, I was so excited to finally have a way to enjoy the great pasta dishes that I love without all of the drawbacks of regular pasta.

There are multiple types of Miracle Noodles (also known as Shirataki noodles) - some are made from yam flour (it's flavourless and picks up whatever flavours you're cooking with) and are basically just made of insoluble fibre, but the brand 'Pasta Slim' is made from Tofu (and in my opinion is far tastier than the others). Both varieties come in liquid filled plastic bags and are super easy to prepare! You can find them in the refrigerated section of many high-end grocery stores, and if you can't locate them there, they will often have them at Natural Food Stores in the refrigerated section as well. They come in many varieties - fettucini, angel hair, spaghetti, and I've even seen one type that is a rice variation.

To prepare, drain the liquid from the bag and run cold water over the noodles in a colander. The liquid has a slightly 'fishy' odour, but not to worry, rinse it well and it will disappear, leaving the noodles to be a blank canvas for all of your creations.

If you are going to just use them with a pasta sauce, put the noodles in a bowl and cover with water and microwave until warm, them drain the water and top with your sauce.

If you'd rather use them in a stirfry, once you've drained the liquid from the bag, pat the noodles dry with a papertowel. Then add to your sauteed vegetables and protein in a frying pan. Because you've soaked up the extra liquid of the noodles beforehand, it will allow them to soak up all of the flavours of the spices and sauces in your stirfry once in the pan.

These little miracles are a great addition to keep in your fridge for those nights where you really want comfort food without all the added negatives that often come alongside those comforts!

The dish on the left was super easy to make! I used spinach flavoured 'Pasta Slim Fettucini' as the base. For my sauce I used a great low sugar marinara sauce sold at Costco (from the brand White Linen). I sauteed two small zucchinis and 4oz of skinless chicken breast with extra virgin oil and garlic. Then added the sauce and once heated through, I used it to top my noodles. A hugely satisfying meal for only 310 calories!