In going gluten free, I gave up pasta. It was probably the hardest part of making the transition — and, honestly, not all that hard.  Since I’d already dropped sugar, baked goods, and bread a year earlier, pasta and flour tortillas were the last significant gluten products on my menu. I tried rice noodles, but they always seem to spike my blood glucose in ways that feel really bad. For a while I figured pasta and noodles were just part of my past. A few months ago I was introduced to tofu shirataki noodles. They are not exactly pasta, but they are an interesting way to experience pasta dishes again without the sugar or gluten consequences.

Nutritionally, they don’t have much to offer — which is probably part of their charm.  It certainly adds to the “miracle weight loss” hype being ascribed to them these days. The package reports that they are 2 servings, but I can easily eat a whole pack — which is a whopping 40 calories, .10g fat, 2g protein and 6g carbohydrates (4g of which are fiber). In many ways, they are just a vehicle for flavor — because, in addition to being essentially a food cipher,  they have virtually no flavor on their own. To be any good, they require being paired with food that has a LOT of flavor.

Tonight I made a fast stir fry noodle dish — with garlic, ginger, shrimp, broccoli, and watercress. I paired this with a chop salad composed of cucumber, avocado, and radishes.  I dressed the salad with lemon juice, sea salt, and peanut oil.