Carrot Noodles (raw, vegan, gluten-free, nut-free)

Carrot Noodles

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

Carrot noodles are just plain fun to eat as is, or you can toss them with a dressing, combine some with other fresh veggies, or even lightly simmer in a pot of soup if you are not 100% raw. And what kiddo wouldn’t love to eat a carrot like this?! Shoot, if these had been around when I was a kid, I would have worn them like jewelry. lol

Carrots are naturally sweet, delicious, and crunchy and are perfect for creating long noodles. Just be sure to select large (in diameter), firm carrots. I love the idea that these noodles are low in calories, rich in anti-oxidants, fiber, beta-carotenes, vitamin A, minerals, and anti-oxidants.

The beauty of carrots is that we can find them fresh in the markets throughout the year. But as we are all aware, not all carrots taste the same. Some are sweeter, and some are bitter. Nobody wants a bitter noodle so when we are making your selection, look for young, tender, bright-colored roots with a firm consistency.

If you come across a carrot that has a slight greenish discoloration at the crown, move along. These carrots have had excessive sunlight exposure of the root above ground level. Although this may not affect the nutrients, it does deplete the sweet taste. Did you know that there are over 100 species of carrots? If you are lucky enough, you can find a variety of colors including orange, purple, white, yellow, and red.

Once at home, wash them thoroughly in water to remove dust, soil, or insecticide/fungicides. Remove the top greens (great to juice) from the root and store them in the vegetable compartment of the fridge where they will keep well for 1-2 weeks.

Ingredients:

Carrots

Preparation:

Be sure to pick the freshest, thickest, and firm carrots that you can find. This will ensure that you get the best tasting noodles possible. If the carrots are rubbery, they won’t work on the spiralizer.
Wash and peel the carrots.
Place the unit on the countertop and press down on the spiralizer to engage the suction cups and secure.
Insert the blade cartridge you’d like to use, make sure that it clicks into place.
Cut the carrots into 4-6” length pieces.
Place the center of the carrot onto the cylinder part of the blade and press the teeth of the handle into the other side of it.
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.
Before dressing up the noodles, take scissors when you’re done spiralizing and cut the noodles into manageable size pieces. Just grab a bunch of noodles and roughly snip. Or enjoy that never-ending noodle!
You can make noodles in advance, they should keep for 5-7 days in the fridge, without sauce.

To clean the spiralizer:

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

Tools used to create noodles:

GEFU Spiralfix Spiral Slicer

Can be used in the left or right hand.
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
Folding lid for easy filling
Detachable non-slip holding container for safe standing
Material: stainless steel, ABS plastic, SAN
Splash-guard lid with drive unit detachable for easy cleaning. Dishwasher-safe

Spiralizer 7-Blade Vegetable Slicer

This slicer comes with 7 different blades which give you 7 completely different textures and shapes.
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

Wash and peel the outer skin off of the veggie.
Hold the veggie at one end and in a long stroke motion, run the peeler from top to bottom.
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.