"Will It Go Round in Circles?" The Spiral Slicer Sure Does!

Kitchen gadgets are not really my thing.  I don't like clutter-y kitchen counters, and I don't like to clog up my kitchen cupboards with little appliances that are not going to see a lot of use.  That being said, I totally fell for the concept of being able to make noodles out of vegetables.  As soon as I knew what to look for on Amazon, I ordered it.

This handy, dandy contraption is a called a spiral slicer.  It comes with three blades that allow three types of noodles to be made:  spaghetti, linguini, and ribbons.  It sells for about $33, plus shipping.  We've been trying to incorporate more vegetables and complex carbohydrates in our diet.  This has been a fun way to do it.

It will slice any firm fruit or vegetable.  This summer I want to try some of the cucumber salads with a noodle instead of the traditional slices.  It cut an apple into spaghetti  beautifully. My idea for a dessert wasn't that great, but I still want to experiment with that.  For folks who aren't worried about carbs, the potato noodles would be great fried, in soups or casseroles.

The spiral slicer is very lightweight.  I pack it in the car when visiting our big kids because they're all interested in trying new gadgets AND eating healthy.  It's traveled to the southern end of Utah to Dylan's, and all the way to Colorado to Sierra's.  Sierra had so much fun with it, she ordered one for herself!

Pros:  Low-carb eating with favorite pasta dishes is do-able. It is easy to use, and pretty easy to clean.  It requires no electricity to run.  Kids enjoy using it; our adult kids AND our young granddaughter.

Cons:  It's not something I use every week, so I feel a little guilty about the space I've devoted to storing it.  The blades are extremely sharp.  I've lost a little skin using it, but I figure it just ups the protein in the dish. (KIDDING!!!)

Our fifth grade granddaughter had fun helping me in the kitchen.

Bon appétit!

*Food Is a Drug...Just Ask Hippocrates!

Whew. I am exhausted.  I was up at 3:30 to take the Candace and Kayla back to the airport.  It has been a whirlwind week of baking, entertaining, driving, and playing tourist.  I've been staying up later, but still getting up early.  Today I've had steel-cut oats with peanut butter, homemade hummus with veggies and whole grain chips, and I am ready for lunch.  

What to have?  What to have?  What I WANT is a Carl's Junior Fish Taco. What I need is some more salad and fresh salsa.  What's in our house would shock you.  Our pantry and fridge definitely need some de-junking.  There are truffles made of Oreos and Nutter Butter Cookies.  There's a little ice cream left over from Candace's birthday treat.  I froze the rest of the brownies.  We have homemade whole wheat rolls.  Lucky Charms Cereal is sitting on a shelf.  

I heard this quote from Hippocrates just recently on the video Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead:  "Our food should be our medicine and our medicine should be our food."  

Spiral slicer...makes spaghetti out of squash/zucchini.

Clover shaped rolls.

Food has been my drug of choice for all of my life.  I've never been a drinker; I've never abused drugs; I rarely use prescriptions for pain after surgery.  But I have been known to drown my sorrows in a carton of ice cream, and mindlessly eat my way through a batch of homemade brownies or cookies. Back in the day, I shopped at Lane Bryant and the plus-size sections of department stores.  I love to eat, and I especially love to eat desserts.                                                                                                                                                                      

Right now, I am dealing with some physical ailments, namely Sjogren's Syndrome which has resulted in arthritic conditions. These days I'm not looking at Hippocrates' quote as a joking way to look at food, I'm thinking of the truth that is there, and that I may be able to reverse some damage and prevent other diseases by taking a critical look at what I'm putting in to my body.  For 52 years, I've pretty much indulged myself in whatever pleased me.  I need to be more moderate, and find a balance of healthful eating and yummy foods. I need to remember to use food as a drug to heal my physical self; not as a numbing agent for my emotional self.  It's hard to keep that straight, but I will keep trying!