If you're into the eating clean movement or just like to keep up to date with the latest food trends, no doubt you will have heard of spiralizers. The latest kitchen gizmo, they turn vegetables into something altogether different so you can replace more carb loaded foods with a healthy alternative.
Like cauliflower rice (you can see my recipe here), courgetti is one thing you can make with a spiralizer, and it takes the idea of substituting a starchy food like spaghetti with vegetables instead, to increase your dose of all things green and create delicious, new, healthy dishes.
Like cauliflower rice (you can see my recipe here), courgetti is one thing you can make with a spiralizer, and it takes the idea of substituting a starchy food like spaghetti with vegetables instead, to increase your dose of all things green and create delicious, new, healthy dishes.
I've made 'noodles' using a veggie peeler to create ribbons of carrots and courgettes to use these as a replacement for noodles before, but it's hard to get the right kind of width, so I knew I wanted to get a special bit of kit to do the job for me, quickly and with ease.
Cue Savisto, home and kitchen essential specialists, and their tri-blade vegetable spiralizer (currently £19.99 instead of £29.99).
A friend of mine has a spiralizer and first introduced me to the concept. When I first saw hers, I thought it looked like a torture device and that it seemed like quite a large piece of equipment for such a specific, niche use.
A friend of mine has a spiralizer and first introduced me to the concept. When I first saw hers, I thought it looked like a torture device and that it seemed like quite a large piece of equipment for such a specific, niche use.
However, I was keen to pick one up for myself and couldn't wait to try my Savisto spiralizer.
What struck me first was how quick it was to put together and the design is compact, when not in use.
There's also a choice of blade options makes this really versatile, as you can create flat ribbons or spiral noodles from vegetables in different widths, from angel hair to thicker spirals. These blades slot neatly within the base of the spiralizer, so they're easy to access (again, see point one about the convenient design!).
All you have to do to start using it is cut a flat edge on your chosen vegetable and place this on the vegetable support with the press on the other end. You then turn the handle and away you go - the vegetable gets pressed against the blade and out pops your spiralized veg pops out the other end.
There's also a choice of blade options makes this really versatile, as you can create flat ribbons or spiral noodles from vegetables in different widths, from angel hair to thicker spirals. These blades slot neatly within the base of the spiralizer, so they're easy to access (again, see point one about the convenient design!).
All you have to do to start using it is cut a flat edge on your chosen vegetable and place this on the vegetable support with the press on the other end. You then turn the handle and away you go - the vegetable gets pressed against the blade and out pops your spiralized veg pops out the other end.
I tried a courgette on my first go and was impressed with how quickly I was able to create courgetti, trying a couple of different blades to see what the end result would be. It was also really easy - turning the handle requires such little force, even when you use slightly tougher veg.
And something else that struck me was how little waste from the vegetable was created; just a very thin sliver of the core of the courgette.
I've been playing with my spiralizer for a couple of weeks and love how creative you can be. It's actually amazing how far you can get vegetables to go with this method of preparation. One courgette can make a really substantial meal, whether sliced as large spirals or as thinner, mock spaghetti.
Usually when adding a lot of veg to a meal, there's lots of prep needed but my spiralizer makes light work of it all.
You can use any of the following fruit and vegetables with the Savisto spiralizer:
Usually when adding a lot of veg to a meal, there's lots of prep needed but my spiralizer makes light work of it all.
You can use any of the following fruit and vegetables with the Savisto spiralizer:
- Apples
- Aubergines
- Beetroot
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Celery
- Courgettes
- Cucumbers
- Horseradish
- Onions
- Pears
- Peppers
- Potatoes (including sweet potatoes)
I've been using it to make courgetti but also sweet potato noodles so far, but the possibilities are actually endless. That's what I really like about my spiralizer; it's so easy to use and it gives you the chance to be more creative and try new things.
Some ideas I have for the spiraliser include the following:
- Add sliced red cabbage and carrot ribbons to salads to boost your five a day and make them more substantial
- Use the same veggies as above but on a thin blade to create a dense mix that makes a great alternative to rice, accompanied with chicken or fish
- Spiralize aubergine and courgette on a thick blade setting, to create a base for ratatouile
- Make sweet potato or squash noodles for an alternative stir fry option
The main thing to say about the veg you prepare with a spiralizer is that it doesn't need a great deal of time to cook; a drizzle of olive oil and a toss round for a couple of minutes is all for something like courgette, as you don't want it to go too soggy.
On the occasion pictured in this post, I made the following:
Courgetti
Ingredients:
* Two courgettes (one for each person)
* 1/2 pack baby plum tomatoes
* Two garlic cloves, crushed
* Glug of olive oil
* Splash of balsamic vinegar
* Sea salt, to season
Method:
It's so simple. Spiralize your courgettes and slice your tomatoes in half. Heat the olive oil in a frying or griddle pan, add the courgetti and keep stirring on a high heat. After two minutes, add the garlic, stir then add the tomatoes. After another two minutes, add a splash of balsamic, season then serve. You don't want to overcook the courgetti, as it can become sloppy, so keep the heat high.
It's so delicious and easy to make. Use as a side or bulk out into a more substantial meal by adding bolognese or chicken.
I'm really pleased with my Savisto spiralizer and would recommend it if you're looking to get in on the spiralizing action, because:
> It's a simple to use design, that doesn't take up a great deal of room and doesn't have fiddly parts
> The different blades included give you lots of cutting options
> The mechanism is really easy to use and it takes next to no time to spiralize your veg
> It's easy to clean too
If you're looking for some further sprializer recipe ideas, there's a whole range of ideas over on the Hemsley and Hemsley website, somewhat a Mecca for eat clean inspiration, and a quick hashtag search on Instagram or Pinterest will uncover plenty of mouthwatering suggestions too.
* I received my spiralizer for the purposes of review but views and ideas are my own. Thank you to Savisto!
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