Food & Nutrition's Zucchini Noodle Mei Fun with Chicken

Here is a great example of a delicious meal made with zucchini noodles - and lots of other great vegetables! I saw this picture on the front of my latest Food & Nutrition magazine, and had to make it.

Not only does it look nice, but it tastes so good, and is a really healthy and easy weeknight dinner. There is chili garlic paste in this recipe, which adds a lot of great flavor, but a little bit goes a long way. I put in about 1/3 of the amount that was called for, and it was plenty spicy. I also omitted the bean sprouts in the recipe because I don't care for them. But if you like bean sprouts, they're a nice addition for some added crunch and texture in the meal. 

If you're not sold on replacing regular noodles with zucchini noodles, this is the recipe to try!

Food & Nutrition's Zucchini Noodle Mei Fun with Chicken

Makes ~4 servings

Ingredients

2 medium organic zucchinis

2 Tbsp soy sauce

1 1/2 Tbsp rice vinegar

1/2 Tbsp white wine vinegar

1/2 Tbsp honey

1/2 tsp chili garlic paste

2 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil, divided

1 large organic egg

1 organic chicken breast, cubed

1/2 Tbsp garlic, chopped

1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped

1 organic red bell pepper, sliced thin

5 organic scallions, chopped

Directions

1. Spiralize zucchini into noodles. Cover and set aside.

2. In small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, vinegar, honey, and chili garlic paste. Set aside.

3. Heat 1 Tbsp sesame oil over medium-high heat. Scramble egg then remove from pan and reserve for later.

4. Add 1 Tbsp sesame oil to same pan and heat. Add chicken and garlic. Cook until chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 5 minutes.

5. Add onion and pepper and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. 

6. Add egg and sauce mixture to pan and simmer over low heat for 2-3 minutes. 

7. Remove pan from heat and add zucchini noodles. Toss until evenly combined. Top with green onions.

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Zucchini is a good source of vitamin C and also provides fiber, manganese, lutein and zeaxanthin (phytonutrients that are good for eyesight). Compared with traditional noodles, zucchini is much lower in calories, providing about 21 calories per cup. Traditional pasta provides about 200 calories per cup! Zucchini noodles are a fresh, whole food, whereas noodles are an enriched processed food product. Chicken is an excellent source of protein and is rich in B vitamins. Garlic is rich in phytonutrients and antioxidants. Bell peppers are one of the best food sources of vitamins A and C. Onions are rich in quercetin, a type of antioxidant, as well as vitamins and minerals, including vitamins C, K, folate, thiamin, and minerals calcium, magnesium, potassium and manganese.