Spiralize all the Veggies: Stir-Fried Zucchini Noodles with Pan-Seared Scallops

By now, I’m sure you have heard of “spiralized” vegetables. If not, a quick search on the internet or Pinterest will clue you in. Basically, using a spiralizer can turn pretty much any vegetable or fruit into… yep, you guessed it, spiral shapes! I have this Paderno Spiralizer, and I love it, because it has different blades for making wide “noodles” or skinny “noodles”, and even wafer-thin chips. Think sweet potato lo-mein, carrot carbonara, or apple chips. The possibilities really are endless! The best part is that spiralizing veggies is a sneaky way to get more servings of vegetables throughout the day. (And let’s be honest, noshing on cucumber noodles is wayyyy more fun and exciting than eating plain old cucumber slices.) Another tip: Turning veggies into noodles is also a perfect way to get children involved in the kitchen, and it will make them actually want to eat their vegetables. This last bit may be a bit of a no brainer, but subbing veggie noodles for typical pasta noodles keeps dishes lower in calories. Don’t get me wrong- I love a comforting bowl of pasta, but if you are looking for something that is lighter than traditional pasta, but just as filling, spiralized veggies are about to become your new go-to.

Today, just to get your spiralizing juices flowing, I thought I would share a recipe for Zucchini Noodles with Stir Fried Veggies and Pan-Seared Scallops. In as much time as it would take to boil water for traditional pasta, you will have your zucchini noodles spiralized and cooked to perfection! Not to mention, these Asian-style noodles are a delicious and healthy alternative for any Chinese take-out addiction 🙂 One of the veggies I use in this recipe is bok choy, or Chinese cabbage. If you haven’t tried it before, I highly recommend it, as bok choy is a great source of vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K! Bok choy is even a good source of calcium, so if dairy isn’t your thing, add more bok choy to your diet to support bone and heart health.

Isn’t bok choy gorgeous, or am I the only one who sees veggies as art?

Stir-Fried Zucchini Noodles with Pan-Seared Scallops

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 medium zucchini
• 6 heads of bok choy
• 2 cups shiitake mushroom slices
• 1 red bell pepper
• 16-20 scallops
• 2 Tbs Bragg’s Liquid Aminos ( a soy sauce alternative that is very low in sodium-you can also use low-sodium soy sauce)
• 1 Tbs Olive oil, plus more for misting the pan
• 1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil

Directions:

1. After washing all vegetables, cut the ends off the zucchini, and run them through the spiralizer using the skinniest noodle setting. As a side note, if you do not have a spiralizer, you can always use a vegetable peeler to make pappardelle-style noodle strips. Lay the noodles on a towel to dry, which will prevent them from being too watery during the cooking process. Chop the bell pepper into slices, and separate the leaves of the bok choy.
2. In a bowl, mix the Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce), olive oil, grated ginger, and sesame oil. Set aside.
3. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, mist with oil, and add the mushrooms, bok choy, and bell pepper, stirring  frequently.
4. Once the bok choy begins to wilt, add the zucchini noodles to the pan, and cook for about 2-3 minutes, tossing the noodles occasionally. Zucchini noodles will cook quickly and wilt down significantly. Add the Liquid Amino sauce to the pan, and stir to coat the veggies. Keep pan warm over low heat and cover.
5. My fool-proof way to make perfect pan-seared scallops: Mist a pan with oil over high heat. Once the pan is hot, and I mean HOT, add the scallops, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Cook for exactly a minute and a half on one side. Do not touch the scallop while it is cooking!!! It will be ready to flip once it comes up easily from the bottom of the pan. Cook the other side of the scallop for another minute and thirty seconds, and remove from pan and serve immediately. A perfectly cooked scallop is tender and buttery in texture, slightly browned on the outside, and slightly pink on the inside.
6. Serve stir-fried veggies and noodles, topped with your perfectly pan-seared scallops.

Let me know if you’ve got the spiraling bug like I do (and what you’re making), and as always, let me know if there are any recipes you want me to healthify! XO, Alexandra