Tofu Shirataki Noodles Adventure #1

I have been hearing about these noodles for a long time now and I have also been avoiding these noodles for a long time too!  You might wonder why I have been avoiding noodles that have this kind of nutritional information and the reason is that I have heard mostly terrible things about them.  So many people on the Weight Watchers Vegetarian Message Board said they were horrible.  I trust their opinions, so I didn’t even mess with it.  But then I started receiving the Hungry Girl newsletters and recipes and they LOVE the noodles, so I started THINKING about giving them a try.  But what sealed the deal was when my friend Megabeth, tried them and said that she liked them.  Then I knew they were worth trying.  So I pulled out the Hungry Girl recipe for Lo Mein that I had saved, and decided to give it a go. 

I would recommend following the Hungry Girl directions for the noodles.  I think a big part of the problem that people have with the noodles is the way they smell.  When you purchase them, they are in water like a cube of tofu is.  The noodles can smell a little fishy if you do not wash them.  So I followed the Hungry Girl directions and I rinsed them very well and then I dried them between two towels.  They were just fine.  In fact, I really enjoyed them and I definitely plan to cook with them again. 

Tofu Shirataki Lo Mein

 Ingredients:

3 bags House Foods Tofu Shirataki, original spaghetti shape

One 10 - 16 oz. bag frozen Chinese-style stir-fry mixed veggies (with broccoli, water chestnuts, etc.)

1 cup of edamame (You could also use tofu or another vegan protein)

1 cup bean sprouts

1 container mushrooms

1 cup broccoli

1/2 cup chopped green onions

1/4 cup shredded carrots

1/4 cup reduced sodium or light soy sauce

1 tbsp. cornstarch

2 tsp. vegan veg broth powder

2 no-calorie sweetener (Truvia)-You could also use agave nectar or regular sugar

Directions:

Rinse and drain Tofu Shirataki noodles VERY well. Dry them thoroughly, and run a knife or kitchen shears through them a few times (so noodles aren't as long). Set aside. To make sauce, combine soy sauce, cornstarch, veg broth powder, and sweetener with 1/2 cup of hot water. Stir well and set aside. Bring a large pan or a wok sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat. Add all the veggies (the frozen and the fresh ones). Stirring frequently, cook for 5 - 7 minutes (until frozen veggies are heated and all other veggies are cooked). Pour sauce into pan/wok, stir well, and continue to cook until sauce has thickened. Lastly, add in the noodles, and cook until entire dish is thoroughly mixed and heated.

Final thoughts on this recipe:  If I made it again, I would probably use more cornstarch because the sauce didn’t really thicken up much.  I would also add more spice to the sauce mixture.  Other than the veg broth powder and the soy sauce, there wasn’t much “pazazz” to the lo mein.  I would want it to be a little more flavorful.  With that being said though, the noodles turned out great.  I really liked them.  I think with a little tweaking, this recipe would be excellent.