We all know that gluten-free products have become a popular food group. As I travel around the country and visit supermarkets, I continue to see larger and larger displays of gluten-free items.
With Italian food so popular, it only makes sense that one of the most common gluten-free products is pasta. Years ago, I remember the first gluten-free pasta from the DeBoles Company.
But did you know that there is gluten-free “pasta” that’s also low in calories and carbs?
Enter the spiralizer and the zucchini squash!
I first experienced zucchini pasta when I was in Maui last summer and enjoyed an amazing Kobe beef meatball atop a mound of zucchini pasta at Sarento’s on the Beach. We asked the chef how he prepared it, and he told us he steamed the zucchini spirals for three minutes before serving.
Then, last night, I received a text message from my dear friend Elise: “You probably thought of this, but I always spiralize zucchini.”
These zucchini “zoodles” really are a great pasta substitute. A simple search on Amazon showed me that a very nice spiralizer costs less than $30. Plus, I noticed at least eight different cookbooks featuring this kitchen gadget.
Prior to the popularity and availability of the spiralizer, the best alternative to pasta was one of my personal favorites—the spaghetti squash.
Our company first introduced spaghetti squash to American supermarkets back in 1975. I was still in college when my mother received her first shipment from our grower in Northern California. Before that time, spaghetti squash was mostly popular with home gardeners. Eventually, seed companies began introducing it to commercial growers, but the biggest challenge was that it looked like a large melon. It was difficult to comprehend and communicate that all you had to do was cook it (steam, boil, or bake), and the flesh separated into spaghetti-like strands. Out of necessity, one of our first product labels was born.
So, next time you’re thinking of serving pasta for dinner, try serving zucchini pasta. It’s a great way to get more fresh veggies into your diet, plus it has a nice fresh flavor and texture. Or, if you are looking for interesting and useful gift ideas, try the spiralizer. I know it will be on the top of my list of unique gift ideas.
Though fueled by wheat-gluten allergies, celiac disease, and low-carb diet preferences, some say the popularity of gluten-free products is actually starting to peak. That doesn’t trouble me; I’m still making zucchini pasta whenever I’m craving Italian food.
Enjoy,
Karen
