This is what I made for dinner tonight:
A very appetizing dinner, no?
Yeah, I didn’t think so either. It looks like what I imagine Frankenstein’s intestines look like.
Green and bloody. Although I’m not really sure if Frankenstein has blood…
Anyways!
I made Spinach Fettuccine Pasta Slim topped with marinara, a crumbled MorningStar Tomato and Basil Burger, and Parmesan.
Pasta Slim is a low carb alternative to traditional pasta. It’s a Japanese noodle made from tofu, traditionally called tofu shirataki. When these noodles first hit the market there were only a couple different brands, but now there are many brands and varieties of shirataki noodles.
This was my first experience with shirataki noodles. I was excited to try Pasta Slim specifically because they claim their noodles don’t have to be rinsed like other shirataki noodles. (Typically shirataki noodles come in a fishy smelling liquid. They must be rinsed and excess moisture must be pressed out of the noodles before cooking.) However, right when I opened the bag, I knew I would have to prep the noodles. The fishy smell was d.i.s.g.u.s.t.i.n.g.
I rinsed the noodles for about a minute under hot water. Then I pressed out the moisture with paper towels. I was still a little afraid of ending up with fishy tasting noodles, so I sauteed the noodles in a hot, dry pan to evaporate any moisture the paper towels didn’t get. Then I sprinkled the noodles with salt, oregano, and garlic powder. By then, my noodles were smelling quite good, so I set them aside to prep my sauce.
I’ve eaten this burger plain, and it’s quite good. I like that they have 10g of protein, but I don’t like the super long ingredient list. Frozen veggie burgers definitely aren’t the cleanest, least processed food, but they’re quick and easy.
I cooked the burger as directed by the package instructions. They can be microwaved, so that wasn’t too hard. Then I chopped the burger into little pieces and put it in a pot with a jar of pasta sauce. I added the noodles to the same pot, letting everything warm up. Then I dumped it all out onto a plate and topped it with Parmesan cheese.
So what did I think?
This meal was okay.
I kind of had an issue with the texture of the noodles. They were chewy as you might imagine a noodle made out of tofu would be. I kind of got used to the texture as I ate more of the noodles. By my last bite I was much more okay with the chewiness. The noodles tasted fine though, which was really my biggest concern going into the meal.
I really, really loved the addition of the veggie burger to the pasta sauce. It was such a quick, easy, and really delicious way to add some protein to the meal.
I was actually pretty full and satisfied from this meal, although I don’t know if I would ever make it again. I would definitely add this particular veggie burger to pasta sauce, but I’d use it to top whole wheat pasta or spaghetti squash. The tofu noodles just weren’t my thing. I’m glad I finally tried them though!
Have you tried tofu shirataki?
Do you have a favorite frozen veggie burger or veggie burger recipe?
What’s the weirdest thing you’ve eaten recently?
XOXO,
Jamie
Green noodies? Yucky… But I thought the pasta dish looked yummy even though I’m not a big fan of pasta (except sketti of course). Hmm… the weirdest thing I’ve eaten recently… wow. This makes me realize that I don’t really spread my horizons! I pretty much stick to the same old stuff!
The shirataki noodles take some getting used to. Sometimes I eat them but not very often. I actually like them best in a soup! I think it makes the texture a little better!
I feel like shirataki is best served in stir fry or hot soup, the way they were originally meant to be cooked in Japan! It tastes good as a food of its own, but definitely not an alternative to pasta.