My First Experience with Shirataki Noodles

Or "the miracle noodles."

I have heard over and over about shirataki noodles and how they are miraculously calorie-free. But having also seen them in the supermarket, I always thought they would taste gross - because they come in a bag full of liquid, I always imagined them having the texture of overcooked spaghetti! I couldn't bear the thought of it.

I have been doing really well in the Dukan Diet - even though I wish it was healthier, I will be following the Cruise Phase until the end of the month as the doctor prescribed - so I decided to give this a try as a way to cheat myself into a pure protein day (which I have been dragging my feet to do.)

I decided to try this recipe for garlic noodles, and they tasted delicious! I tweaked it a bit to fit what I had the fridge, and added chicken for some actual calories and protein. Taste-wise, I made sure to rinse and soak them for a while as instructed. The recipe calls for lots of garlic and soy sauce, so that gave them lots of flavor, so they were not bland. I was really worried about the texture, but I was pleasantly surprised! They have a little bit of an "al dente" feeling, though the texture is not exactly the same as wheat pasta. I'm glad I tried it!

Happy cruising!

Ingredients:

• 1 packets spaghetti shirataki noodles
• 1/2 chicken breast, diced
• 1/4 cup green onions, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• salt

Directions:

• Boil shirataki noodles for 3.5 minutes with 2 dashes of salt and strain. Use paper towels to dry off any additional liquid.
• In a large skillet or wok, heat cooking spray on medium heat and sautée chicken and garlic until fragrant.
• Add soy sauce. Add noodles and toss in sauce.
• Pan sear noodles on medium-high heat until all liquid is absorbed and  noodles have a nice seared brown color.
• Add green onions, cook for 30 seconds and remove from heat.
• Garnish with parmesan cheese if desired.