I normally agree with Alton Brown in that a single use kitchen tool is a waste of space. However, there are times were an one-purpose tool is handy. I’ve been seeing alot of zucchini noodle (aka “zoodles”) recipes on Pinterest. I’m lousy at julienne slicing by hand and my grater wasn’t up for the challenge. But lo & behold, the Microplane Spiral Cutter was on discount at Bed, Bath, & Beyond for $4.99. Just the right price point for a fun gadget.

Instead of focusing on a specific recipe, I wanted to test out the tool and the zoodle texture. I went with a simple peanut butter-based sauce that I whipped together using what was in the pantry.

The first zucchini didn’t spiral easily because it turns out the wider side should go in first and then you can use the stem as a handle towards the end. I had chopped off the stem and slide the smaller end first, which then made it very difficult to spiral as there was less zucchini to hold on to. My middle-school sense of humor giggled at the extruded core and the spirals coming out of the bottom…

I’ve read posts where people cut up the core and other leftover bits to add to the dish, but considering my lunch was going to be two zucchinis as it is, I tossed them out. I added in some red bell pepper for color and crunch. Turns out I made too much sauce for the amount of zoodles as they don’t soak up the sauce like traditional noodles.

Time for the taste test – perhaps it was due to the amount of sauce, but I couldn’t tell the difference between the zucchini noodle and slightly over cooked noodles. There is a lack of al dente/QQ texture, but a decent compromise for the nutritional benefit. Looking forward to trying the zoodle tool again!