Black Radish Noodles

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~ raw, vegan, gluten-free, nut-free ~

Black radishes are not always easy to find but should you stumble upon some; they are a must-try.  The skin of the black radish is… well black. :) It can also be a black-brown-green color with an exterior feeling like grit 150  sandpaper.

As dark and mysterious as they may seem, the inside is entirely different. As your knife pierces through the skin and a slab falls to the side, a pure, flawless flesh is exposed.

This was my first time playing around with these gems, but not because I had been purposely avoiding them.  These black beauties never adorned my childhood dinner plate, and it isn’t that often that I see them in my local grocery store or farmers market.

After bringing a few home, I got busy researching, and WOW, they are pretty darn amazing in the health benefits department.  The black radish is capable of dissolving mucous in our digestive tract, which is mostly created by eating too many starchy foods, like breads, cakes & pasta.

I read that these tubers will stimulate the liver and create more bile flow, so assisting in the cleansing of the entire digestive system as well as clearing and preventing gallstones.

They also contain a compound called Raphanin, which can help with auto-immune diseases, and balances thyroid activity both under and overactive.   I don’t know about you, but I find that pretty darn cool.

In juice form, it is said to improve peristalsis and helps to move digested food through the gastrointestinal system.  It is also noted that the black radish is used in Chinese medicine for controlling and eliminating constipation and bowel disturbance so bringing balance back to the digestive organs.   I am all for that!

Black radish is rather strong in flavor,  but then so is its counterpart, the red radish.  It will always vary from radish to radish but don’t be too surprised if you get one that is “quite hot” in flavor.    As you stroll through the produce department and should you happen to stumble upon these,  please buy some!  Go for firm-skinned ones, with no blemishes.  If they feel soft, they are likely to be spongy inside, and they won’t spiralize very well.  If any greens are still attached, they should look fresh and perky. The bigger the radish, the less crisp its texture, so avoid too large of ones.

Ingredients:

• Black radishes

Preparation:

1. Be sure to pick the freshest, in season, black radishes that you can find.   This will ensure that you get the best tasting noodles possible.
2. Look for firm radishes.   If the flesh is mushy, it won’t work on the spiralizer.
3. Cut flat on the top and bottom of the radish.
4. Place the unit on the countertop and press down on the spiralizer to engage the suction cups and secure.
5. Insert the blade cartridge you’d like to use, make sure that it clicks into place.
6. Place the center of the radish onto the cylinder part of the blade and press the teeth of the handle into the other side of it.
7. Take hold of the handle on the bottom (the horizontal one) with one hand and then spin the handle with the teeth to spiralize. Press steadily with forward pressure, using the handle that you’re gripping, for best results.
8. Before dressing up the noodles, take scissors when you’re done spiralizing and cut the noodles into manageable sized pieces.  Just grab a bunch of noodles and roughly snip.  Or enjoy that never-ending noodle!

To clean the spiralizer:

1. Purchase an inexpensive handled brush for cleaning the blade parts and hard to reach parts of the unit.  This will save your fingers and prevent nicks from happening on the blades, keeping them nice and sharp.
2. Be sure to quickly rinse the unit after creating noodles.  The juices from certain root veggies can stain the unit.
3. Dry the blades well before putting them away.

Tools used to create noodles:

GEFU Spiralfix Spiral Slicer

1. Can be used in the left or right hand.
2. 4 different widths of cut for creative recipes: Spiral cut across the entire width of the material, 3 mm, 6 mm, or 12 mm wide adjustable via adjusting wheel
3. Folding lid for easy filling
4. Detachable non-slip holding container for safe standing
5. Material: stainless steel, ABS plastic, SAN
6. Splash-guard lid with drive unit detachable for easy cleaning. Dishwasher-safe

Spiralizer 7-Blade Vegetable Slicer

1. This slicer comes with 7 different blades which give you 7 completely different textures and shapes.
2. Comes with 420 high carbon cutlery grade stainless steel blades and stronger making it possible to Spiralize harder root vegetables like sweet potatoes and turnips that previously broke Spiralizer handles

Potato Peeler

1. Wash and peel the outer skin off of the veggie.
2. Hold the veggie at one end and in a long stroke motion, run the peeler from top to bottom.
3. Rotate the veggie in a circular motion and continue peeling until you reach the seeded core (if there is one).  Stop once you reach this.  Don’t throw it away, use it in a smoothie or salad.

Tags: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, No Dehydration Required, Nut Free, Vegan