The Veggie Spiral Slicer Cookbook (3 page)
Read The Veggie Spiral Slicer Cookbook Online
Authors: Kelsey Kinser
How to Use This Book
Some of the recipes in this book are vaguer than others. They may say “1 medium zucchini” or they may say “2 cups zucchini noodles.” Generally, if the recipe does not specify the amount of noodles in cups, then it does not have to be super accurate. Use your best judgment and work to your tastes.
Small zucchinis, summer squashes, cucumbers, potatoes, and similar-sized vegetables will be 3 to 4 inches or less. Medium would be between 4-1/4 to 7 inches, and large is anything above 7 inches. Feel free to play around with the recipes in this book. You can always substitute summer squash for zucchini or sweet potato for butternut squash, and many of the root vegetables are interchangeable.
If butter is listed in the recipe but does not fit your diet, you can use butter substitutes or olive oil. Some of the recipes call for browned butter, however, and the outcome will not be the same, but they will still be delicious. Feel free to substitute rice flour for the all-purpose flour in the fritter dishes. Above all, stay true to your tastes and dietary needs, and don’t be afraid to play with your food.
Recipes
Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. By now we’ve all heard how important it is to eat breakfast, as it helps you stay full longer and prevents too much snacking or overeating at lunch. It also sets the tone for your day. If you take the time to make a nice, healthy, and peacefully paced breakfast, the rest of your day will seem a lot easier to face—trust me. In this section, I cover everything from a peanut butter and apple “power bowl” to a weekend indulgence of apple fritters.
Hash is most commonly found in a can these days, which is a crying shame since it’s one of America’s best breakfast staples. This is a great post–St. Paddy’s Day hangover brunch recipe, or just an excellent excuse to get corned beef and cabbage more than once a year.
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
4 tablespoons butter, divided
1 large parsnip, spiralized on blade 2
1 large rutabaga, spiralized on blade 2
4 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 pound corned beef, cooked and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
1 cup beef broth
1-1/2 cups shaved cabbage, spiralized on blade 1
salt and pepper, to taste
4 fried eggs, to top
1.
In a large, oven-safe skillet (preferably cast-iron) melt 2 tablespoons of the butter on medium heat. Add the parsnip and rutabaga noodles and stir to coat with the melted butter. Add 1/4 cup of water, bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes. Drain the partially cooked noodles and set aside.
2.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
3.
Return the skillet to the stove, increase the heat to medium-high, and add the sliced bacon. Cook until the bacon begins to release its fat, about 3 minutes. Add the diced onion and stir frequently, cooking for another 5 minutes or so until the onion starts to turn translucent. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
4.
Add the corned beef, sage, and reserved root vegetable noodles. Stir occasionally, allowing the ingredients to gather some color. Add one more tablespoon of the butter if the noodles and corned beef begin to stick to the pan. Add the beef broth and place the pan in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed and the hash begins to get crisp. Remove from the oven and top with a plate to keep warm.
5.
While the hash is baking, cook the shaved cabbage on the stovetop in a large skillet with the last tablespoon of butter. Cook for approximately 5 to 7 minutes or until the cabbage is completely wilted. Season liberally with salt and pepper.
6.
During this time fry your eggs in a separate pan. Set aside until ready to serve.
7.
To serve, top the hash with the cabbage and top the cabbage with the fried eggs.
You can substitute apples for pears and/or all-purpose flour for whole wheat in this recipe and it will still come out plenty delicious! If you don’t have buttermilk, use 2 cups of milk with 1 teaspoon of vinegar added. Top with whatever you prefer—if you have any caramel sauce these pancakes basically beg for it.
MAKES APPROXIMATELY 8 MEDIUM PANCAKES
4 tablespoons butter, divided
3 firm pears, spiralized on blade 2
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
1.
In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter on medium-high heat.
2.
Add the spiralized pears and cook, stirring occasionally until they are softened, about 3 to 4 minutes.
3.
Remove the pears and set aside.
4.
Combine the flour, salt, baking soda, and brown sugar in a large bowl.
5.
In a small bowl, beat the eggs and add the buttermilk. Melt 2 more tablespoons of butter and add it to the eggs and buttermilk. Stir until combined.
6.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until everything is
almost
completely mixed.
7.
Using a large spatula, fold the pears gently into the batter.
8.
Melt the last tablespoon of butter in the skillet on medium-high heat. Using a ladle, spoon out batches of the batter and cook the pancakes until bubbles begin to form. Flip once and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side.
Mexican-Inspired Sweet Potato Savory Waffles
This is an unexpected dish in two ways. First, it consists of waffles made out of sweet potatoes, and second, they are distinctly savory. I tend to serve this topped with a fried egg, and every now and then when I’m feeling cheeky, I throw in 1 cup of black beans to get some extra protein in the morning. A drizzle of fresh lime juice never hurts either.
MAKES 4 WAFFLES
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium sweet potato, spiralized on blade 3
1/2 yellow onion, spiralized on blade 3
1 medium clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 egg plus 1 yolk, beaten
1 tablespoon diced chives
sour cream and salsa, to top (optional)
1.
Preheat your waffle iron on medium-high.
2.
While your iron is heating up, place the vegetable oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat and add the sweet potato and onion noodles. Stir to coat somewhat with the oil, cover, and cook for 10 minutes. The noodles should begin to soften.
3.
Remove the noodles from the pan, allowing them to cool slightly. Place the noodles in a large bowl and add the remaining ingredients.
4.
Spray your waffle iron with nonstick cooking spray and fill the bottom with the noodle mixture. Cook according to your waffle iron’s guide. The waffles are done when the outsides are crisp, but not burnt, and the interior is soft and warmed.
5.
Serve topped with sour cream and salsa if you so choose.
Indian Sweet Noodles with Eggs
This dish, which goes by the name Balaleet, traditionally uses vermicelli noodles. The flavor of the sweet potatoes make this variation similar to a sweet latke, but the decidedly Indian flavor profile makes it a special and surprising breakfast. It’s especially delicious topped with a dollop of tangy yogurt and extra orange blossom water.
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
1 medium sweet potato, spiralized on blade 3
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), divided
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon curry power
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon orange blossom water
6 eggs, beaten
1.
In a bowl, toss the sweet potato noodles with the sugar.
2.
In a medium skillet, melt half of the butter on medium-high heat. Add the saffron, cardamom, cinnamon, curry powder, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Stir constantly and cook for 1 minute or until the spices begin to release their aroma.
3.
Add the sweet potato noodles to the skillet and stir to coat them with the butter and spice mixture. Press the noodles flat into the skillet until you have what resembles one large noodle pancake. Sprinkle this with orange blossom water. Cook, partially covered and without stirring, for about 15 minutes or until the bottom of the pancake is toasted and the pancake holds together.
4.
Flip the pancake and cook, uncovered, for another 10 to 15 minutes or until the other side is toasted and golden brown. Transfer to a plate and keep covered while you make the eggs.
5.
Place the now-empty skillet back on medium-high heat and melt the rest of the butter. Add the beaten eggs and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Allow this to cook for about 5 minutes or until the eggs have set. Slide the egg cake out of the pan and cut into wedges to serve on top of the sweet potato noodles. Serve hot.
Cheese grits are a Southern staple. If you’re not going to be topping yours with jam, then you most likely will be mixing them with cheese. In this version we move from the South to the Southwest with some distinctly Latin flavors.
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium clove garlic, minced
1 large sweet potato, spiralized on blade 3, then riced
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
salt and pepper, to taste
3/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup cotija or queso fresco cheese
2 tablespoons chopped chives, plus more to garnish
1.
In a large skillet, melt the butter on medium-high heat.
2.
Add the garlic and stir constantly, cooking until the garlic beings to release its aroma, about 30 seconds.
3.
Put the sweet potato, paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper in the pan and stir to coat with the garlic butter. Cook until the rice has turned a slightly darker color, about 5 minutes.
4.
Pour in the chicken stock and simmer until the liquid has cooked off, but the rice is not yet completely “dry,” between 10 and 15 minutes.
5.
Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese and chives.
6.
Serve hot with a sprinkling of extra chives.
Sweet Potato Sausage Breakfast Burritos
I was always aware of breakfast burritos, but they were never really my thing until I visited Austin, Texas, on a food vacation one year. Now I make them frequently, but rarely with a recipe. They’re a great way to get rid of vegetable halves or spiralizer leftovers, but if you are looking for a recipe that’s a couple of steps above emptying your fridge, here you have it.