Zucchini Noodle Stir-Fry
Lighten up your lunch or dinner with this low-carb/high protein wheat-free stir-fry, made with spiralized zucchini noodles.
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I’m a big fan of noodle dishes—I just don’t eat them, largely because they’re usually made with processed pasta or some equally nutritionally bankrupt wheat product that does nothing except raise my blood sugar and make me fat. But this “faux” pasta dish, made with spiralized zucchini noodles, is a vegetable lover’s delight, featuring a light, kicky, simple sauce that will satisfy anytime you find yourself with a craving for Chinese take-out.
In addition to the upgraded zucchini noodles, this dish uses peanut oil in place of the typically unhealthy oils used for frying. Peanuts are packed with protein, magnesium, and zinc. Plus, they’re one of the few sources of resveratrol other than red wine and grapes.
This stir-fry also offers a healthy dose of immune-boosting ginger and heart-healthy garlic, two herbs prized as much for their medicinal and properties as their culinary ones. And if you want to make it 100 percent sugar-free, simply replace the palm sugar with 1 Tbs. stevia. Put it all together and you’ve got a low calorie, low glycemic dish that’s tasty, loaded with antioxidants, and surprisingly filling. What’s not to love?
March is National Peanut Month, so we’re spotlighting flavor-packed peanut recipes throughout the month.
Zucchini Noodle Stir-Fry
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup low-sodium tamari sauce
- ¼-½ jalapeño peppers, chopped (remove seeds for less heat)
- 1½ Tbs. unseasoned rice vinegar
- 1 Tbs. palm sugar
- 1 tsp. plus 1 Tbs. peanut oil, divided
- ½ sweet onion, thinly sliced
- 1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large sweet red pepper, julienned
- 1 cup snow peas, sliced thinly on the bias
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 2 packed cups baby spinach
- 3 medium zucchini, spiralized or thinly sliced (see "Notes from Chef Jeanette")
- 12 oz. cooked protein of choice (thinly sliced steak, medium shrimp, bite-sized pieces of chicken or tofu))
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro for garnish, optional
Preparation
- Combine tamari, jalapeño, rice vinegar, palm sugar or stevia, and 1 tsp. peanut oil in mini-blender or immersion blender, and blend until smooth. (If you don’t have a small blender, mince jalapeño very finely, and whisk ingredients together in small bowl). Set aside to allow flavors to meld.
- Heat remaining 1 Tbs. peanut oil in large sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 3 minutes. Add ginger and garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Stir in red pepper, snow peas, and carrots, and sauté 2 minutes more.
- Stir in spinach about 30 seconds, then add zucchini. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes. Add protein, and pour sauce evenly over contents of pan, turning gently to coat.
- Cook 2 minutes, or until everything is hot and veggies are tender-crisp. Garnish with cilantro, and serve.
Nutrition Information
- Calories 314
- Carbohydrate Content 23 g
- Cholesterol Content 67 mg
- Fat Content 12 g
- Fiber Content 5 g
- Protein Content 28 g
- Saturated Fat Content 4 g
- Sodium Content 812 mg
- Sugar Content 14 g