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Asian-Style Noodles Made From Turnips? You Betcha!

January 1, 2017

A couple of years ago (long after I became completely devoted to Paleo cooking) veggie noodles became “en vogue” but I didn’t want to risk buying another piece of equipment that didn’t work as well as it looked on TV so I found a hand-held Veggetti® Spiral Vegetable Cutter on eBay for $3.99 and figured it was worth the risk. It works PERFECTLY on zucchini but no matter what I tried I couldn’t seem to make noodles out of any other vegetable so I settled into using “zoodles” whenever I make my go-to Asian stir-fry (a FANTASTIC meal when you’re really stuck for time BTW…only 30 minutes from freezer to table!)

Only problem was we were all getting a little tired of the lack of variety…zoodles are great raw but when you cook them they turn into mush in about 3 seconds flat! So a few weeks ago I began researching table-top spiralizers…I looked at about 5 different brands and they all operate essentially the same but IMHO the best one turned out to be the Veggetti® Pro (bit of a caveat here: it’s always seemed to me that these products would all work better if they employed gravity rather than fought against it then JUST YESTERDAY I saw a VERTICAL table top spiralizer – only Asian characters on the box so unfortunately I was unable to make out a brand – but it was at a kitchen supplier that was going out of business so all sales were final and I walked away.)

By now I’ve had the chance to test-drive all kinds of vegetables in my Veggetti Pro and I shouldn’t be surprised that it turns out my favorite veggie noodle is turnips (because, again IMHO, turnips make THE BEST breakfast “hashbrowns”…why shouldn’t they be my top pick for a dinner side dish too?!)

So I thought you’d all love my adaptation of Turnip Lo Mein recipe from Priscilla Cooks (a Personal Chef in Durham, NC who specializes in paleo-friendly meals for busy folks with dietary restrictions.) It only takes about 20 minutes total to prep & cook, makes 2 generous servings, and tastes great with chicken, shrimp, scallops, or pork so grab your chopsticks and enjoy!

Gather together the following ingredients:

  • 2 large turnips
  • Vegetable peeler
  • Table-top spiralizer (I prefer the Veggetti® Pro Tabletop Spiral Vegetable Cutter…for more info on this and all the cool “Things I Like” click here)
  • 2 tbsp ghee (to learn how to make your OWN ghee, click here)
  • 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
  • Hand-held grater or microplane
  • 1-2 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 tsp minced ginger
  • A handful of chopped scallions
  • Skillet or wok and a couple of spatulas
  • 2 tsp coconut amino acids

OPTIONAL:  a spritz of raw sesame seeds

Cut the ends off of each turnip and peel skin with a vegetable peeler. Select the narrow noodles blade on your spiralizer and cut your curlycues every 4-5 turns so you don't end up with super long noodles. Mince garlic and ginger (I used a grater that stands up on its own…seems easier to hold steady than a microplane but you be the judge.) Heat the ghee in your skillet or wok on medium-high heat till melted then add the toasted sesame oil and stir. Add the ginger, garlic, and scallions and move them around for about a minute until the spices begin to brown and the scallions begin to get limp then add in the turnip noodles and start tossing…note that you’ll really want to keep the noodles moving in the pan so that they all come in contact with the fat and heat up fast! Add the coconut aminos then continue to cook/toss for about 5 minutes or until the noodles reach your desired tenderness (about another 2-5 minutes MAX.) Plate the noodles then top with your protein of choice plus sesame seeds (if you like.)

Photo courtesy of Priscilla Cooks

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