by 2 people |
Hungry Girl (www.hungry-girl.com) has been saying for ages that these Japanese tofu noodles are the best low-carb, low-cal, gluten-free substitute for pasta. However, it has taken this long for me to find a source for them in Maryland (see below)!
Note #1: If you have big money, you can order them from Amazon, but since they have to stay cold, they are very pricey to ship.
Note #2: If you live on the west coast, you can order directly from House Foods (www.house-foods.com), the creator/distributor of Shirataki Noodles. Unfortunately, we folks east of the Rockies have to wait for cool weather to get these shipments from California.
Top 10 reasons to try Shirataki noodles
*
Note: Nutritional info below is for the entire half pound pack, not the suggested serving size!
- Only 40 calories
- Only 1 grams of fat
- Only 2 grams of net carbs
- No cholesterol
- No sugar
- Gluten free
- Dairy free
- Keeps for 6 months in the fridge, so you can stock up
- Plenty of great recipes at Hungry Girl
- Plenty more recipes at House Foods
- Bonus reason: because if you're trying to lose weight, shirataki whips pasta's butt. Note that the pasta serving size is half of the shirataki's...
- Another BIG bonus: The whole bag is 0 points (that's ZERO!) for us Weight Watchers folks
Where to get it
United States resources for Shirataki noodles
- Amazon.com
- Of course, Amazon would sell it. What don't they sell? Note that expedited shipping is required (and expensive) and they still may not arrive in good shape if your order is left sitting in a mailroom over the weekend. My suggestion: order on a Sunday or Monday.
Looking at the reviews, folks either love 'em or hate 'em. While I won't tell you to ignore reviews bashing the taste, please consider that every Hungry Girl recipe demands draining the noodles, as well as rinsing them and patting them dry. Being tofu, they don't have a flavor of their own. Eating them right out of the pack is the worst way to try them out. See Shirataki Recipes below for some ideas... - US grocers who carry Shirataki
- This is a very general list of where to get Shirataki noodles in the United States. They say that Whole Foods is an "Across the USA" source, and all the Maryland Whole Foods stores I've called so far carry it.
The word is getting out! My Whole Foods was sold out of shirataki by the weekend, so just because it's not on the shelf doesn't mean your store doesn't carry them. Be sure to ask...
The noodles are carried in the mid-west by grocers in Iowa, Illinois, and Michigan; north Atlantic grocers in New Hampshire and New York; and southern grocers in Texas. - Whole Foods Markets - Maryland
- I found them at the Annapolis Whole Foods today! The key to finding the noodles is remembering that they're tofu. Therefore, check the refrigerated section near the typical tofu blocks. If you're calling your local Whole Foods to check availability, be sure to make that clear. Otherwise they'll likely check the dry noodles and fresh pasta areas.
- Trader Joe's
- There was a shirataki noodle sighting in the dairy/tofu section at the Annapolis Trader Joe's (fettucini only). Leave us a note below if you find it at your Trader Joe's!
Shirataki on Amazon
Sorry, there are no results available from Amazon.
Keys to Shirataki Success
Must dos for a tasty shirataki meal
These are simple steps, but pretty critical. Don't be put off by the water the noodles are packed in (similar to tofu), just carry on with the steps below:
- Drain the noodles
- Rinse the noodles
- Dry the noodles (optional)
Not necessary for stir fry or other pan frying, but it's important to pat them dry with paper towels if you're just quickly microwaving to add a sauce - Cut the noodles
Cutting the noodles up a bit improves their overall texture (to me) - Embrace the noodles.
I'm only partially kidding :) If these aren't great for you the first time around, try another recipe. It's a zero point pasta opportunity!
My Favorite Shirataki Recipe
How I do the noodle
From Target:132
I love this recipe because it's superquick (on the table in under 10 mins), thoroughly filling, has less than 3 WW points and covers two servings of veggies. Also, IMO, the noodles taste best after a run around a hot pan with some oil--much better than nuking.
- Set skillet or wok to medium-high heat
- Drain, rinse and cut an entire 8 oz. package of spaghetti-shaped shirataki noodles
- When pan is hot enough for a drop of water to sizzle, add 1 tsp of sesame oil. Spread that around the pan until the bottom is completely coated
- Toss in two handfuls of frozen stir fry veggies, move them around with a spatula for one or two minutes.
- Add the shirataki. Use the spatula to mix the noodles and veggies--this is when I'm glad I've cut the noodles up a bit...
- Add 2 teaspoons teriyaki sauce (I use Trader Joe's Soyaki), one last go 'round with the spatula, then cover and turn the heat down to medium
- By the time I finish setting my place at the table it's time to plate up, add another teaspoon of Soyaki, and happily savor a mountain of noodles for under 3 points. A vigorous 20 minutes on the elliptical, and it will be like the meal never even happened :D
More Shirataki Recipes
I haven't tried all of these, but I'm working on it--I'll be sure to note my favorites as I go.
If you find any of these recipes are particularly good (or icky), feel free to add a blurb about it below.
If you find any of these recipes are particularly good (or icky), feel free to add a blurb about it below.
Shirataki Noodle Taste Poll
If you've tasted Shirataki noodles, tell us about your experience
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Got Shirataki?
Know a tried-and-true source for Shirataki? Do tell!
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- cdubdub cdubdub Aug 24, 2006 @ 10:17 am
- Yup, finally found Shirataki in the Baltimore/Washington area: Whole Foods at Harbor East, Baltimore city. They carry both the regular spaghetti-style noodle and the fettucini-style noodle. I believe she said only $1.25 a pack, which is cheaper than Amazon and I won't have to pay shipping...fab!
by cdubdub
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