For the better part of a year I haven’t felt like myself. I was lethargic, depressed and always on the verge of catching the latest virus circulating around, even though I was taking supplements and eating a healthy diet. After having enough of feeling crappy all the time, I took a food allergy test and found out I had a food intolerance to dairy, gluten and a few other food types.

For years I had heard of people talking about the Wheat Belly book and thought it was impossible to live that healthy of a lifestyle. Well folks, my time had come. Long story short, after eliminating gluten out for 30 days, I felt so much better and even lost 15 pounds! While losing weight wasn’t the objective of my elimination diet, I felt so much healthier simply by removing this food types.

A New Way to Eat Garden Fresh Salads

During that journey, I found news ways of eating some of my favorite dishes and some new tools in preparing these foods. One of my favorite tools I found was the Zoodle slicer. I know it’s a wonky name, but it’s a great way of creating gluten-free and paleo meals.  Basically, the tool cuts vegetables into long, spiralized shapes and makes healthy versions for pasta dishes. I have used this handy little contraption to make “vegetti” and veggie ravioli and lasagna, and also used it to dehydrate zoodles for future meals. It also makes fresh yummy salads and even jazzes up some of my favorite healthy salads like carrot apple salad. What’s great is many of the zoodle slicers have different tools so you can change up your zoodle sizes into wider ribbons of zoodles. Also, you can find spiralizing attachments that go on your Kitchenaid mixer!  There are different types of zoodles makers and each have different features that make them appealing. Here are the top five spiralizers:

1. iPerfect Kitchen Vegetable Slicer Bundle – $12.95
2. Premium Vegetable Spiralizer Bundle – $14.47
3. Paderno World Cuisine Tri-Blade Plastic Spiral Vegetable Slicer – $30.48
4. Spiralizer Tri-Blade Vegetable Spiral Slicer – $30.99
5. Müeller Spiral-Ultra 4-Blade Spiralizer – $27.99

By far, the easiest vegetable to use when making these healthy “noodles” is the zucchini, but other vegetables can be used too. Here are some that I have tried.

• squash
• carrots
• cucumber
• beets
• jicama

I love this cooking tool and it’s perfect for summer salads. I recommend it for anyone looking for new ways to get more vegetables into their diets and this is the perfect time to take advantage of all the wonderful vegetables out in the garden! Try some of my favorite zoodle recipes using some of the garden ripe veggies. If these recipes aren’t enough for you to get started, there are spiralizing cookbooks loaded with more recipes.

10 Delicious, Nutritious Zoodle Recipes

1. Zoodle Lasagna

• 1 pound of ground beef
• 4 zucchini
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• 3 cups fresh spinach
• 3 cups mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup fresh basil
• 3 tablespoons fresh parsley
• 1 container of ricotta cheese/cottage cheese or make your own with this recipe.
• 1 egg
• salt and pepper

1. In a skillet, add ground beef and brown until cooked. Season, if necessary. Set aside.
2. In a small mixing bowl, add parsley, cottage cheese and egg and mix until incorporated. Set aside
3. Take zoodle slicer and cut zucchini into wide ribbons to resemble lasagna noodles. Wipe zoodles with paper towel to remove any additional moisture.
4. In a casserole dish, spoon some of the meat mixture into the bottom of the prepared casserole dish (just enough to cover).
5. Add a layer of zoodles directly on top of the meat.
6. Add 1/2 of the ricotta mixture over zoodles and top with a layer of spinach.
7. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of mozzarella over zoodles.
8. Repeat layering process.
9. Top the finished lasagna with remaining mozzarella cheese.
10. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the top is gooey and golden.

Note: You can also make a “one pot” meal with these ingredients if you decide not to go through the layering process.

2. Loaded Zoodle Ramen Soup

• 1 cup bone broth (I use this recipe)
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced (This microplane grater is amazing)
• 1/2 cup spinach, sliced
• 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
• 3 scallions, sliced thin
• 3 mushrooms, sliced

1. In a soup bowl, add all ingredients and enjoy.

3. Pad Thai Zoodles

For Pad Thai:

• 2 medium zucchini
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
• 1/2 pound chicken, beef or shrimp
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced or crushed
• 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin
• 3 green onions, sliced
• 1 large egg
• about 2 cups bean sprouts
• 1/3 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
• Few lime wedges for serving (optional)

For sauce:

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• juice from one lime
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1. In a small bowl whisk all the ingredients together for the sauce and set aside.
2. Next, make your zoodles using your spiralizer. Place in a bowl and set aside.
3. Add the peanut oil to a wok and heat over high heat. Add meat and cook until fully cooked.
4. Add garlic to the wok and toss everything together, continue cooking for another minute, if heat is too high, turn to medium high.
5. Push ingredients off to one side of the wok, and crack the eggs in the other side. Using a spatula break the eggs and scramble eggs.
6. Add half the bean sprouts, half the peanuts and half the green onions to the wok then pour the sauce over everything. Toss everything together and continue cooking for a 2 more minutes on low heat.
7. Add the zoodles to the wok, toss everything together and turn off the heat.
8. Serve while warm and add remaining bean sprouts, green onions and peanuts. Garnish with a lime wedge.

 4. Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Zucchini Ravioli

One of my very dear friends introduced me to veggie ravioli and I have been experimenting ever since! This is a wonderfully light meal your entire family will enjoy!

• 3 large zucchini
• 3 cups baby spinach
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 cup fresh basil
• 1 container of ricotta cheese/cottage cheese or make your own with this recipe.
• 1 cup tomato sauce of choice
• cheese, optional

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Take zoodle slicer and cut zucchini into wide ribbons to resemble lasagna noodles. Wipe zoodles with paper towel to remove any additional moisture. Set aside.
3. In a large pan, add spinach and basil and top with olive oil. Cook on medium-high heat until wilted.
4. Add in garlic and saute for one more minute. Allow to cool.
5. Add cooked basil/spinach mixture and add to a small bowl along with ricotta cheese. Stir to mix.
6. Assemble the ravioli by placing two pieces of zucchini strips down. Add a spoonful of ricotta mixture and roll.
7. Take two more pieces of zucchini and roll the opposite direction to hold the ricotta mixture in place.
8. Repeat until all zucchini, ricotta and spinach has been used.
9. Place zucchini in a large oven-proof pan and bake for 20 minutes.
10. Remove from oven and top with tomato sauce and cheese, if desired.

5. Mediterranean Zoodle Salad

• 2 zucchini
• 1 carrot
• 6 green onion
• 1 small jar of marinated artichoke hearts
• 1 small can of black olives
• 6 cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled
• 1 teaspoon basil, chiffonade
• 2 tablespoons of artichoke marinade, reserved
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• juice of one lemon
• crumbled feta cheese, optional

1. In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons of artichoke marinade with apple cider vinegar and lemon juice. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, spiralize zucchini and carrots and add remaining ingredients. Add dressing and stir until incorporated.
3. Refrigerate until ready to enjoy.

6. Thai Cucumber Salad

• 2 cucumbers
• 1 carrot
• 6 green onions
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons unsalted cashews, coarsely chopped
• dash of red peppers
• dash of sesame seeds
• salt and pepper to taste

For peanut sauce:

• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 3 tablespoons almond butter
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1. In a mixing bowl, add ingredients to make peanut sauce. Set aside.
2. Using a knife, cut out seeds of cucumber and slice into half (long ways).
3. With your spiralizer, make noodles from cucumbers.
4. In a large bowl, add cucumber noodles and remaining ingredients.
5. Top with sauce and mix thoroughly. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

7. Greek Style Cucumber Salad

• 2 cucumbers
• 1 carrot
• 6 green onions
• 6 cherry tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons crumbled feta
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette
• fresh herbs like basil, thyme and oregano

1. Using a knife, cut out seeds of cucumber and slice into half (long ways).
2. With your spiralizer, make noodles from cucumbers.
3. In a large bowl, add cucumber noodles and remaining ingredients.
4. Top with vinaigrette and mix thoroughly. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

8. Zesty Jicama Salad with Cilantro Cream Sauce

• jicama
• 1 avocado, diced
• 3 green onions
• 5 cherry tomatoes, sliced
• 1 cup cooked corn kernels
• handful fresh cilantro
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• salt and pepper

For cilantro cream sauce:

• 1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves (stems removed)
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tablespoons lime juice (from 1 lime)
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup olive oil

1. In a food processor, add all the ingredients together for the sauce and blend until combined. Set aside.
2. Next, spiralize the jicama. Place in a bowl and set aside.
3. Add remaining ingredients to salad bowl and top with desired amount of dressing.
4. Chill salad for an hour and serve cold.

9. Zoodles and Peas in a Lemon Cream Sauce