This recipe will actually make you feel cooler and calmer…
It’s holiday season, but in my book that doesn’t mean everything we eat has to be heavy and traditional. This dish is neither, but it’s awesome. When I brought a big bowl of these Szechuan Zoodles to my family’s Hanukkah party, they certainly looked non-traditional next to the latkes but they madeeveryone happy. I’m all for healthy and happy, so if I were you, I’d give this dish a shot at your holiday party!
I saw this recipe on one of my favorite food blogs, Half Baked Harvest and the beautiful pics kind of called to me, so I knew I was going to have to make some version of them!
I’ve made zoodle dishes before and some have them have been great, while some have been only so-so. While I do love these vegetable noodles, I am a true pasta fanatic, so sometimes I end up a little disappointed. This dish is especially great because the zucchini noodles are mixed with buckwheat noodles, so in the end, this slurpy and spicy pasta dish tastes like real pasta. That’s always a really good thing…
And the dressing… OMG… it’s spicy and sweet and peanut buttery and it’s made in the blender… so it’s easy.
A real pasta dish that’s paleo, healing, spicy, slightly sweet, vibrant, and fresh… who could ask for anything more?
For another awesome paleo pasta dish try my recipe for Roasted Red Pepper Fettuccine.
Here are some of the great healing ingredients in these Szechuan Zoodles:
Zucchini cools your body off and makes you feel better when you are feeling hot. It helps your body release excess heat and it will make your mind feel more calm.
Buckwheat is great to eat if you have diarrhea. It also helps lower blood pressure, stops some types of sweating, and has a good amount of vitamin E. It also contains antioxidants that can help fight cancer and heart disease.
Sesame seeds (the black ones) are a Chinese herb (Hei Zhi Ma). Black foods, in Chinese medicine, are knows as longevity foods. This herb is good for so many things, including headaches, constipation, dizziness, and even helping with lactation. White sesame seeds also have many great nutritional benefits. They are also an anti-aging food. If you have backaches, hair thats graying way too fast, ringing in the ears, weak knees, blurry vision or general weakness, go for the sesame seeds; just sprinkle them on everything. Long ago in China, sesame seeds were ground into honey to form a paste and was taken as a medicine to counter old-age and weakness. For this recipe, you can use black or white seeds, or a combination of both.
Peanuts, contrary to what some believe, are actually good for many things in your body. I don’t often let myself eat them because they sometimes contain mold and it’s really hard to find reasonably priced organic healthy peanuts. But, these popular nuts are great for lessening edema; they act like a diuretic. They can also help you if you have insomnia or if you are breast feeding. An old-time remedy is to made peanut tea and drink it for bed to promote sleep. And, peanut shells used to be used to help with high blood pressure.
Cilantro is also known as Chinese Parsley. It is good for the common cold, indigestion, and energy flow in the body. An old Chinese remedy for the common cold and even for measles was to drink cilantro and mint tea. Cilantro is one of those herbs you either love or hate; I’m a lover…
Bell peppers help with indigestion. If you are feeling bloated and full from over-eating a lot lately, consuming bell peppers will help reduce this feeling. They are also good for blood circulation and research has shown that they are good for people with a low appetite or anorexia. It used to be common in China to use green pepper tea to soothe indigestion.
Basil has anti-viral and anti-bacterial capabilities. It also is good for settling your stomach, and it’s good at lessening the symptoms of the common cold and its accompanying cough. Basil is a spiritual herb — the scent actually calms you; you can boil some in a pot and let the aroma fill the air, you can just leave some around the house, you can toss a bunch in your bath water (I love to do this), or you can use an essential oil with basil to get some great calming effects.
Hot peppers contain more vitamin C than any other vegetable and they are good at fighting off the common cold. So, if you like spice, as I do, use a generous amount of whatever hot peppers you like. The main component of hot peppers is capsicum. Capsicum actually works with your body and mind to make you feel happy. It’s also good for reducing swelling and can relieve arthritic joint pain. If you have high blood pressure, check with your doctor before eating too many hot peppers because they can actually raise the blood pressure in some people.
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Szechwan Zoodles
Author:Stacey @There's A Cook In My Kitchen
Recipe type:zoodles, pasta, spaghetti, spicy, paleo, vegan, vegetarian, Asian
Cuisine:recipe adapted from: Half Baked Harvest
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves:8
This dish is made with zucchini noodles and buckwheat spaghetti. The sauce is the perfect combination of spicy and sweet! It's paleo, healthy, and comforting!
Ingredients
- 20 oz zucchini noodles (I bought mine pre-zoodled, but I would guess 2 large zucchini would do the trick if you are spiralizing them yourself)
- 1 lb buckwheat spaghetti, cooked al dente (I used these buckwheat/sweet potato ones)
- ½ cup peanut butter (here's an organic one)
- ½ cup tahini
- ¼ cup liquid aminos (you can buy it here)
- juice of 2 limes
- ¼ cup coconut sugar (here's a good one)
- 2 Tbs hot chili oil
- 1 Tbs toasted sesame oil
- ½ cup full-fat canned coconut milk
- ¼ cup hot water
- 1 cup chopped peanuts
- ¼ cup sesame seeds (buy organic ones here)
- 1 cup chopped fresh basil
- 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 10 baby bell peppers, sliced
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half
- 1 hot pepper, sliced
Instructions
- Boil the buckwheat noodles, just until they are cooked al dente.
- Drain them and run cold water over them while you toss them around with your hands to make sure they don't stick together.
- Place the buckwheat noodles and the zucchini noodles in a large bowl.
- Make the dressing: Put the peanut butter, tahini, aminos, lime juice, coconut sugar, chili oil, sesame oil, coconut milk, and ¼ cup hot water into your blender. Whiz it up until very creamy.
- Put the remaining ingredients into the bowl with the noodles.
- Add in as much dressing as you like and toss with your hands (you will probably have some extra dressing).
- Enjoy!
