Spiralize It!: Creative Spiralizer Recipes for Every Type of Eater Paperback – December 1, 2015 by Kenzie Swanhart (Sonoma Press) (IBRCookBooks)

I love veggies and bought a Spiralizer when I accidentally came across one on Amazon. I had never heard of one before and it was inexpensive enough that I thought I would give it a try. I bought this book at the same time to give me a number of ideas of different things to do with it. Though it has slightly less than 200 pages, the book contains quite a bit of information, including hints for newbies like me, how to choose the veggies you use, and a lot of other stuff. I was surprised at how wide a variety of recipes were in the book, from pizza and waffles to various meat dishes, ranging from simple to elaborate, and from common fare to fancy. One of my favorite ideas was using zucchini or butternut squash to make noodles for spaghetti or linguini instead of using regular pasta. It TASTES GREAT!!! Another great idea was to us the stalk of Broccoli in the spiralizer, an item I paid for by weight but always threw away before and just used the florets.

You don't have to cook your vegetables the same old boring way every day. You can add interest in the way you prepare and use them. Even kids may be willing to give the attractive spiral ribbons a try, or maybe not even realize that the noodles they are eating are not "normal" pasta. The recipes also may tempt you you try a vegetable you never had before. I know I am going to try parsnips and turnips - I never had then before because they sound "yukky."

The book includes a list of 27 different veggies and fruits you can use, and tells you how to prepare them. Included near the end of the book is a small section of different sauces or salsas you can make to spice up your creations. My favorite recipes include Chicken Pad Thai, Chicken and Broccoli Fettuccini Alfredo, sweet potato waffles, chopped Asian salad, vegan ramen bowl, Asian broccoli slaw, and numerous others. Each recipe also includes a list of substitutions, so if you don't have or like a certain vegetable, you can just just use a different one.




A Fresh Twist on Spiralizer Recipes

There is something inherently delightful about a pile of brightly colored, tangled vegetable noodles piled high on your plate. They are beautiful to look at, fun to twirl on your fork, and make a healthy and delicious base for just about any meal you can imagine. Topped with Grandma’s tomato sauce, stirred into chicken soup, or even formed into a savory waffle—the options for spiralizer recipes are infinite with this cookbook.



Sample Recipe: Zucchini Ribbon Crisp
Serves 4-6 / Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Paleo, Vegan

Fruit crisps and crumbles are always a hit, but did you ever consider making dessert from vegetables? The mild flavor of zucchini makes this plentiful summer vegetable easy to incorporate into your favorite desserts. Serve with whipped coconut cream or coconut ice cream and take pride in the extra serving of vegetables with dessert.
Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F.

2. Lightly grease an 8-inch-by-8-inch glass baking dish with coconut oil.

3. Layer the zucchini noodles in the prepared dish.

4. Squeeze the lemon over the zucchini, avoiding any seeds.

5. In a medium bowl, combine the almond meal, almonds, walnuts, coconut, cinnamon, nutmeg and sea salt.

6. Slowly add the remaining 5 tablespoons of coconut oil and maple syrup to the bowl, stirring continuously to mix thoroughly. Spread the topping evenly over the zucchini.

7. Lightly sprinkle the brown sugar on top.

8. Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes, or until golden brown.
Fruit Substitution:

Try apples or pears.

Photography by Nataša Mandić/Stocksy.