If you’ve been cutting back on starches like pasta and bread, here’s a noodle to try that’s gluten-free, starch-free, and for the most part, calorie-free.  At this point, you’re probably thinking, huh?  How can a noodle be calorie-free?

Shirataki noodles are made from a tuber called devil’s tongue yam or elephant yam that is composed of mostly water and a soluble dietary fiber called glucomannan.  The noodles are formed through an extrusion process, so they’re 100% yam.  There is also a variety made from tofu that has 3g of carbs and 5 calories per serving.

The noodles shown here come packaged in liquid and should be drained and rinsed.  The directions on the package also say to boil them briefly in water to remove the bitterness, although I didn’t find it necessary.   Like tofu, the noodles are flavor-less and will take on the flavor of the dish and I found that they have the texture of a very tender cellophane noodle.

The other night, after draining and rinsing the noodles, I sautéed some Vidalia onion, thin slices of green cabbage, and Shitake mushrooms, then added the noodles along with Tamari (a wheat-free soy sauce), fresh ginger, and some toasted sesame oil.   The result was a quick, easy, really tasty and surprisingly filling dish!!  I’m thinking the noodles would work well as a last minute addition to soups too.

Shirataki noodles are found in the produce section of most grocery stores and run about $2 for an 8-ounce package.  My word of caution for them is that because they’re not a major nutritional source, it would be best to eat them sparingly, rather than make them a staple in the diet.   For a noodle craving, though, I believe they’ll do the trick…