By some miracle Jay and I came out winners from the white elephant gift exchange at my company’s Christmas party. We somehow managed to avoid the clearance rack pool toys and weird thrift store knickknacks and left with a brand new scrabble board and a Veggetti.
Being Italian, I can’t completely come to terms with the idea of replacing pasta with vegetables. Spiral noodles just don’t do it for me when I really need a forkful of real spaghetti. But I find if I frame it less like ‘I’m eating vegetables instead of pasta’ and more like ‘I’m eating vegetables in a fun shape,’ noodled veggies become much more appetizing.
I’ve experimented with a couple vegetables and parsnips have been my favorite to spiral. You can typically find them thick enough in diameter that they feed through my Veggetti easily enough and the texture really holds up well with the heat. They are just starchy enough to hold onto sauces nicely, too.
Multiple vegetables cut in various shapes go into this vegetarian dish adding an array of flavors and textures. I spiral cut the parsnips, throw in some chopped asparagus and top the dish with fresh carrots thinly sliced with a vegetable peeler. A creamy hummus yogurt sauce helps pull everything together and makes this dish so decadent.
I prep all my veggies, mix my hummus-yogurt mixture in a bowl, and cook everything stir fry style in coconut oil, which I found went weirdly well with the sweetness of the parsnip. I add the sauce just as the vegetables finish cooking to cover the ‘noodles’ and top the dish with parsley and cashews to add a little crunch. Even though this is a vegetarian dish, I found it hearty and completely satisfying.
If you haven’t tried spiral cut vegetables and want to, I’d recommend picking up a Veggetti. It’s a small investment that transforms your vegetables into beautiful noodles and makes dinner a little more fun.
Parsnip Noodles and Asparagus with Hummus Yogurt Sauce
Serves 2
- 2 Tsp Coconut Oil
- 8-10 Asparagus Stalks, chopped into 1 inch pieces
- 4 Medium Parsnips, spiralized
- 2 Tbsp Hummus
- 2 Tbsp Plain Greek Yogurt
- 1-2 Tsp Water
- 1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 Tsp Onion Powder
- Salt
- Pepper
- Pinch of Crushed Red Pepper
- 2 Carrots, sliced thin with a vegetable peeler
- 16-18 Cashew, chopped
- Parsley (optional)
Prep your vegetables and set aside. In a smal bowl, whisk together the hummus, yogurt, and spices while adding just enough water to thin it out to a creamy consistency. Set a large pan over medium heat and add the coconut oil. Add the asparagus and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the spiral cut parsnips and cook for 2-3 more minutes. Pour the sauce into the pan and stir to coat the parsnips and asparagus. Remove from the pan and top with carrots, cashews, and parsley, if using. Serve and enjoy!
