THE EPICUREAN: The Miracle of Carb and Calorie Free Pasta!
By Lana Nasser/ Instagram: @l4n4n
Carb and calorie free Pasta? Miracles do happen!
“Are you sure? It tastes amazing, I can’t believe it!” is the typical shocking reply I get when I tell the lunch guests at Lana’s the plate of pasta they just enjoyed contained zero carbohydrates. It gets even better to see the joy on their faces, when I proceed to inform them that the pasta is also calorie-free, sugar-free, soy-free and gluten-free. It’s the kind of pasta that allows you the freedom to eat with pleasure and cut out the guilt that usually comes on with an overstuffed and bloated feeling. How many prepared meals do you know that can own up to that?
So what is the secret behind the pasta of air? It’s not pasta, It’s a miracle noodle called Shirataki, which is a translucent, gelatinous and traditional Japanese noodle made from the bulb of the Devil’s Tongue plant. It sounds quite sinister right? But not to worry, this plant is all good on the inside and the benefits are endless. It takes its nickname from the dark reddish-purple spadix that juts from its center like a pointy lurid tongue. Other names used for it are Konjac, pronounced like “Cognac”, konnyaku, voodoo lily, snake palm and elephant yam.
At the heart of the plant is the yam or the potato that is pulverized into flour that is then formed into patties popularly known as yam cakes. These cakes can be fileted and eaten as sashimi, formed into gelatinous balls or pressed into the famous miracle Shirataki noodles. Its name means “white waterfall”, which again is derived from the white, see-through appearance of the noodles and the fact they are largely composed of water and glucomannan; a water soluble fiber with very little flavor of its own.
It is available though in various flavors such as spinach, which is what Lana’s café stocks up on and a black Shirataki, which is a type of Japanese vegetable. In both cases, because of the added ingredient to the noodle, there is a slight calorie increase of about 10 to 15 calories.
How does it all work? It is the water and vegetable fiber, glucomannan, that gives this noodle its sought after super powers. The fiber, which contains no fat, sugar or starch, slows down digestion, which allows you to fully absorb and benefit from the nutrients in the foods added to your noodle dish and the best part is it prolongs the sensation of fullness. If you replace your traditional pasta meal with the Miracle Noodle, you could easily reduce the total calorie count of the meal by 500, and possibly more. It also reduces the glycemix index, which is great for people who are trying to control their blood sugar levels. Medical studies have shown that the Miracle Noodle has had beneficial effects for people with Type II diabetes, constipation, obesity and cholesterol.
If your interest has piqued enough to find out what a miracle tastes like, pass by Lana’s café for lunch. The spinach noodle is served up in a Garden Chicken Alfredo sauce with strips of grilled chicken, lightly sautéed zucchini, squash, red bell pepper and mushrooms in a low fat cream sauce. Another healthy option is the Tuna Ziti “Nicoise” salad with chunks of tuna, tomatoes, potatoes, boiled egg, blanched green beans and black olives in a balsamic vinaigrette. If you prefer to prepare your dish at home, you can also purchase the packaged noodles from Lana’s. They are packed in water and should be stored in the fridge. The preparation method is very simple; once the package is opened, and the water drained, the noodles are run under hot water to bring them up to a warm temperature. Your cooked ingredients are then mixed in with the noodles to add flavor and extra nutrition to your meal.
Always remember to choose the ingredients you’ll add to your pasta wisely because that’s where your calorie, sugar and fat intake will be coming from. Cook up a meal that is healthy, beneficial and serves you the results!
