Following a gluten-free and grain-free diet doesn’t have to mean cutting out pasta forever. With the use of a spiral vegetable slicer — or “spiralizer” — pasta and all of the glorious sauces that usually accompany it can be reintroduced in a healthier fashion.
Watch: Danielle Walker shares her recipe for grain-free bread that’s made in a blender!
These trendy machines (popular brands include Paderno, Veggetti, Benriner and Inspiralizer) turn vegetables into “noodles,” so not only are you keeping your meal grain-free, but you’re getting in a daily dose of healthy vegetables at the same time! My 5-year-old son loves zucchini noodles, or “zoodles,” when we use them in place of regular noodles for spaghetti and meatballs. (Editor's note: If you don't have a vegetable slicer, you can make vegetable noodles using a mandoline or by shaving vegetables into strips with a peeler.)
My Tangled Thai Salad utilizes vegetable noodles to reduce the carbs and calories and provide a wonderfully crisp and refreshing salad for a hot summer day. To save time, use leftover rotisserie chicken and make up the dressing a few days in advance!
Danielle Walker is the author and photographer of the New York Times bestselling cookbooks Against All Grain: Delectable Paleo Recipes to Eat Well & Feel Great and Meals Made Simple: Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, and Paleo Recipes to Make Anytime. Diagnosed with a severe autoimmune disease at the age of 22, she has since removed grain and dairy from her diet, and started her blog to help others suffering from similar ailments continue to enjoy food.