Do you remember when I was asked to participate as a judge in the AOL Food Awards? As part of AOL’s Lifestyle Collective, I had the chance to test lots of kitchen products and created some pretty tasty food in the process. (Take a peek at the recipes from last fall here!) The AOL’s Spring Food Awards are happening now, and as a judge, I received another big pile goodies to test! I’ll be mentioning them as I share some awesome new recipes in the next few weeks.
One of the products was a spiralizer by WonderEsque. Have you used one? I’ve seen all sorts of beautiful dishes using “zoodles” (zucchini noodles) but didn’t really understand how they were made. One of the best parts of testing these products is being challenged to learn something new in the kitchen. The contraption was super easy to use (and super easy to clean). You simply press your veggie of choice between the handle and the blade and start cranking. There are different types of blades to adjust thickness or shape. I decided to make an Asian noodle salad with some carrot and cucumber “noodles” thrown in. After a couple of trial-and-error moments, I had lovely, funky little carrot and cucumber curls!
Once I figured out the spiralizer, this dish came together really quickly. I was able to make all of the components ahead of time while Oden napped, which is a huge bonus for this mama these days! I prepared some spaghetti noodles al dente, rinsed them with cold water, and drizzled them with sesame oil to store in the fridge. I shredded big chunks of rotisserie chicken. I steamed some edamame I had in the freezer. When he woke up, Oden supervised me cutting a bell pepper into slices.
The hardest part of this dish is making the dressing, which took no time at all! In a lidded jar, I combined soy sauce, rice vinegar, a squeeze of honey, a little minced garlic and ginger, a big squirt of spicy Sriracha, and some olive oil. I shook it up and set it aside until it was time for dinner.
To assemble the dish, I started with some of my spaghetti noodles. I added my veggie curls and bell pepper slices and sprinkled some edamame in there, too. Next came plenty of chicken, lots of that tasty dressing, a bit of fresh chopped basil, and a shake of toasted sesame seeds. Dinner is served!
How gorgeous is this meal? It’s light and healthy, but filling enough for dinner, thanks to the added spaghetti noodles. I like that it’s a chilled noodle dish; it’s refreshingly perfect for warm weather as a lunch or al fresco dinner. The dressing is tangy with a little bit of heat, and it would be delicious as a marinade or green salad dressing. I also love the crunch of the raw veggies, all curly and adorable!
When I made this recipe a couple of weeks ago, we were still due for a snowstorm or two (sigh), but I can’t wait to eat it on the patio this summer. A spiralizer isn’t necessary to make it. While the veggie “noodles” make this noodle salad fun, you could easily cut the carrot and cucumber into chunks and it would be just as delicious!
If you have a fun recipe using a spiralizer, please send it to me! And be sure to check out AOL’s Spring Food Awards. Stay tuned for more product reviews and yummy food!
Chilled Asian Noodle Salad
You’ll need:
- 8 ounces spaghetti
- 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped or shredded
- 2 carrots, peeled and spiralized or julienned
- 1 cucumber, peeled and spiralized or julienned
- 1 cup steamed edamame
- 1 red pepper, julienned
- Fresh chopped basil and toasted sesame seeds for garnish
For the dressing, you’ll need:
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha
Cook the spaghetti al dente according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Toss with a drizzle of sesame oil and set aside in the fridge until later.
Combine the dressing ingredients in a small lidded jar and shake well.
To assemble the salad, start with some noodles in a shallow bowl. Add carrot and cucumber spirals, red pepper, and edamame. Top with chicken and drizzle with plenty of dressing. Sprinkle fresh basil and sesame seeds on top and serve. Make everything ahead of time and keep in the fridge until you’re ready to eat. YUM!
Check out AOL Lifestyle’s 2017 Spring Food Awards!
Find my whole collection of recipes here.
One year ago: Our first hikes with baby Oden.
the usual bliss 
Oh my, that looks tasty!