A patient brought a Zoodler, a vegetable “noodle” gadget, for us to play with! The Zoodler, which is similar to a Veggetti or Spiralizer, cuts various vegetables into long, thin spirals. The Zoodler cuts into 2 sizes of noodles, one similar to spaghetti and the other similar to linguini. Eggplant and zucchini were on sale the week I tried our Zoodler, so I decided to make eggplant parmesan.

To recreate this meal, spiralize 2-3 zucchini and sauté with some olive oil and pepper. My “noodles” were topped off with baked eggplant coated in seasoned breadcrumbs and spaghetti sauce. I tried to dry out my noodles with just a towel and no salt, but you can see the noodles added extra water to the plate.

Here’s my Zoodler tips:

• The blades are super sharp. Look for one with a handle and pay attention to where your hands are!
• Cut your spirals down about every 8 inches (or sooner) or they become really long.
• If you have some flexibility with salt intake, sprinkle your noodles with a little salt to help draw water out. Wait about 5-10 minutes, and then squeeze them with a towel to remove excess water.
• Want to try other vegetables? Consider carrots, bell peppers, beets, winter squash, sweet potatoes, and onions.

Www.inspiralized.com is full of tips, recipes, and how-to demonstrations if you’re looking for ideas and inspiration for your next “zoodle” dish. Happy cooking! -HM