Hungry Blogger

The more veggie-based meals are released--especially if they're of the low-carb variety--the more I rejoice. And when it comes to veggie-based pasta, my heart sings the loudest! Pasta is my favorite food, but I have to avoid it as often as possible. Veggie pastas are a great way to deliver that yummy flavor without eating the ingredients you need to sidestep, and this new Cauliflower Spaghetti from the Tattooed Chef is definitely on my to-try list.

This food looks so good! It's gluten-free, has Plant-Based Bolognese flavor, and cooks in just minutes in some water and oil on the stovetop. What's not to love about fast veggie-based foods that are frozen and able to be prepared in mere minutes? It has a few too many carbs for my liking but overall it's a much better way to get that flavor for my body. How about yours and your needs?

What other fun frozen veggie finds have you seen this week? This one is at Target, so be sure to share any that you find there or other grocery stores in the chat.

When it comes to swapping veggies into recipes for more nutritional content or low-carb or low-sugar alternatives, today we have more choices than ever. You can make your own, buy them pre-made in the store, and even get them to-go from some restaurants. But which ones are the best? As a heavy food swapper, I have a few ideas for you. 

Konjac noodles--or shirataki noodles--are one of my favorite noodle swaps. These yams are super low calorie and full of fiber. If I don't have those available or I want a different texture, my favorite swap is spaghetti squash for noodles. Just cut one in half, roast it and scoop it out. Voila--you've got "noodles" ready for any sauce you like. They work very well with white sauces, in my opinion.

For fries, I love rutabegas for swaps--they are the closest thing you'll get to a fried potato. For sauteed potatoes on the stove, radishes work really well, believe it or not! And to sub in a veggie for something sweet, I like to just char my broccoli and cauliflower for some nice, carmalized flavor in the oven.

Ruby Tuesday's squash has always been my favorite, but some notable options while dining out include Noodles & Company and Crazy Bowls & Wraps. Both have pretty good zoodles, or spiralized zucchini noodles. Cauliflower swaps are often tasty too, but many aren't that much healthier. If all else fails, you can ask for steamed veggies or broccoli as a swap-in for noodles--one of my favorite healthy hacks! I've even done this with cheese dips instead of tortilla chips when I really want something decadent. 

What are your favorite veggie swap-ins? Which ones do not work for you, and which ones do you think are the most unique? Share them in the chat.

New menu items are always so exciting, aren't they? At Panera, the company is stepping things up a notch this year with some really delicious-sounding items. The first, a Thai chicken soup, contains carrots, bell peppers, mushrooms, edamame, yellow coconut curry broth and other Thai spices. It's the first of the company's new globally-inspired foods so we'll surely see more rich flavors like this be released throughout the year.

Their next new item is the citrus Asian crunch salad, which is made up of kale, cabbage, romaine, carrots, red onions, and edamame, and it is served with a tangerine soy ginger dressing and a teriyaki drizzle. Yum! It's also served with chicken and carrots on top but vegetarians can certainly hold the chicken if they prefer.

What do you think of these new menu offerings at Panera? Which do you hope to try first, and what do you hope will be added to their globally-inspired lineup sometime in 2022? Share your thoughts in the chat. 

Lots of people are nixing the carbs right now as part of a New Year's resolution, but even if you aren't, it's always a great time to try new things and especially implement more veggies into your daily life. Noodles are my favorite foods, but they make my blood sugar spike unlike anything else, so I tend to go for alternative noodles whenever possible.

My favorite alternative noodle is the shirataki noodle. It's made from the Japanese konjac yam and tastes the most like real noodles. It's on the expensive side, but it would be wonderful if restaurants could use it because you can easily sub it in for just about any recipe and it works great. A little goes a long way, though; it's pure fiber and a lot can upset your stomach. 

My second favorite is spaghetti squash, which takes longer to prepare but is really good. It's thinner and has a bit of a crunch to it, but not as much as zucchini noodles, which are super crunchy. I still really like those, too, and some restaurants even offer them. 

Some people swear by hearts of palm for a good noodle alternative, but I haven't tried that one. I've tried some alternative pasta-based noodles but they really cause my glucose levels to shoot up almost as much as standard noodles, so they aren't my favorite.

What other noodle alternatives are out there that you have tried, or that you've been meaning to try? Share them in the chat.