Turn veg into super healthy spaghetti

We All struggle to give up the foods we love and pasta lovers can find it tough to cut back. But the latest must-have kitchen gadget can create spaghetti, noodles and even rice out of vegetables which will trick your brain into thinking you’ve been tucking into a comforting, filling bowl of carbs.

Served with a delicious sauce, these dishes are just as tasty — and they’re nutritious, too.

The contraption, known as a spiralizer, is a big hit in the U.S. And now it has caught on in the UK.

Spiralizers come in a range of sizes, designs and prices, from a simple handheld cylinder which cuts strips from a carrot as you twist it, in the same way that a pencil sharpener strips shavings from a pencil, to a sophisticated worktop mounted machine such as the lurch Spirali (pictured).

But the basic idea is the same — to convert vegetables into noodles that can be blanched in boiling water and served in place of spaghetti, sautéed in olive oil and a little garlic, or served fresh, crunchy and raw.

You can also make vegetable rice by pulsing spiralized root vegetables in a food processor.

Not only will cutting back on starchy carbohydrates help those keen to lose excess weight, experts agree that increasing our intake of fruit and vegetables is the best way to reduce our risk of heart disease and strokes, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers.

The fibre content helps tackle high cholesterol, and the impact on digestion cuts your risk of bowel cancer.

if you’re trying to cut back on the gluten in grains like wheat, and keep your sugar intake low by eating fewer carbohydrates, ‘courgetti’ or noodles made from parsnips or swede make a delicious alternative to pasta spaghetti.

Most spiralizers come with a choice of blades, so you produce thin pappardelle pasta, thicker fettucini, or spaghetti-like swirls. Spiralized carrot, cucumber, courgette, apple and pear can be enjoyed raw, but root vegetables can be softened by either dipping their curls in boiling water for two minutes to blanche them, or tossing them in a hot pan with olive oil and crushed garlic.

Stir in an olive- oil and lemon juice dressing and serve as a side dish to fish or chicken, or fold through your favourite bolognese or pesto sauce to create a simple, warming dish. Add spiralized noodles to soups and salads, or combine with other ingredients for a simple noodle-based stir fry.

Here’s some tips on how to use them . . .

DO SPIRALIZE — carrot, courgette, butternut squash, beetroot, celeriac, parsnip, sweet potato, swede, turnip, plantain, apple and pear, selecting fruit and veg that’s at least 4cm in diameter.

DON’T SPIRALIZE — pineapple (too fibrous), aubergine (too soft), peppers (the flesh is too thin), papaya (too seedy).

Keep the skin on cucumbers and courgettes, parsnips, apples and pears (a vital source of nutrients and dramatic colour) but peel the tough outer layers of veg such as squash and sweet potato.

SPIRALIZED fruit and vegetables can be sealed in a bag and stored in the fridge for a day.

SPIRALIZED sweet potatoes, squash, parsnips, swede, carrots and beetroot can be frozen.

Then try out your spiralizer with these delicious recipes for two . . .

Pear pudding

2 ripe pears 4 tbsp unsweetened yoghurt if you’re ok with dairy (or coconut yoghurt) Runny honey or coconut crystals Walnuts, roughly chopped DIVIDE the yoghurt between two bowls, spiralize the pears using the wide setting, arrange the ribbony swirls on top, drizzle with honey or sprinkle with coconut crystals and scatter with the nuts.

Rainbow pad-thai salad

(pictured, above right) ½ cucumber ¼ red cabbage 2 carrots 2 tbsp fresh mango or papaya, cut into fine matchsticks For the dressing: Handful of cashew nuts, soaked overnight in water 1 tsp sesame oil 1 cm fresh ginger, peeled Pinch sea salt 1 tsp coconut aminos (or soy sauce) Small fresh chilli Fresh coriander Handful of cashew nuts, roughly chopped (for garnish) SPIRALIZE carrots, cucumber and red cabbage. Blitz drained nuts in a blender with sesame oil, ginger, salt, aminos and chilli. Stir the sauce over the vegetables and chopped fruit to coat. Sprinkle with chopped nuts and coriander.

Creamy crab linguine

2 courgettes, spiralized 1 fennel, finely shredded 200g fresh white crab meat 1 ripe avocado, cut into strips Splash of olive oil 2 garlic cloves, finely diced Fresh chilli, finely diced Juice of a lime Sea salt to taste HEAT a frying pan over a medium heat, add the garlic, fennel and olive oil and sauté for a few minutes to soften, add the spiralized courgette and cook for a few minutes to soften. Stir in the crab and avocado and serve garnished with chilli, lime juice and a little salt.

Courgette spaghetti with creamy Thai sauce

(pictured below) 1 large courgette (or two medium-sized ones) spiralized 135g cashew nuts 1 red chilli Juice of 1 lime 1cm cube of fresh ginger, peeled 1 garlic clove, peeled Coconut oil Fresh coriander, for sprinkling SOAK the cashews in a bowl of water for 2–3 minutes, then drain and put in a blender with the remaining ingredients, except the coriander. Blend until creamy, adding water if necessary.

Drop the courgette spirals in a bowl of boiling water for 2 mins. Drain and rinse under cold water, pat dry with a kitchen towel. pour the sauce over the ‘courgetti’ and sprinkle fresh coriander over the top. Serve with prawns and diced red or yellow peppers.

Butternut squash spaghetti, herby pesto

½ butternut squash, de-seeded, peeled and spiralized 135g cashew nuts Juice and zest of 1 lemon 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed A handful of fresh basil A handful of fresh parsley Sea salt, ground black pepper olive oil SOAK cashews in water overnight, then drain. Heat squash spirals in a pan with olive oil and garlic. Blend nuts with remaining ingredients, stir into the spirals.