Happy Tuesday!
Photo Credit: Instagram – @nutritionstripped
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I hope your week has been sweet and fulfilling (so far)
It's hard to believe it's August already. We live in a college town, and the signs of a university preparing for the arrival of 35,000 + students are everywhere. Target is full of cute apartment-style everything, and orientation tours in full swing as I drive through campus
True confessions? I'm not in a hurry for it all to begin.
The past few months at our house have found us settled into a mellow summer rhythm. It's been both slow and crazy, and it's also been terribly nice. Mostly because we've been gifting ourselves an easier summer pace. Getaways, the pool, baseball games, dinners with friends, midnight drives with the windows way down and the radio wayyy up.
We've been choosing smoothie runs, and hot sunset walks over long work days. Creating afternoons with nothing to do but sit/watch/smile; a novel on our knee
Another true confession? Sometimes I feel more connected to The Veggies, and sometimes less. This past month has been one of those seasons where I've felt a little less. So it feels really good today to share a new recipe and write a few words.
This week marks a return to a more regular schedule. I've missed the blog, missed taking photos, and most of all missed connecting with everyone who takes a minute out of their day to stop by and say “hi”
Most of all, today, I wanted to reconnect. I really hope you're doing well. (But it's ok if you're not) I'd love to catch up and hear how things are going. If you're in the mood, here are a few fun questions
What recipes are on repeat?
Any great podcasts you've been listening to while you've been riding your bike or working in the garden?
New cookbooks (or cooking magazines) open on the kitchen counter?
What little things are bringing the most joy to your days?
Have you read anything good lately?
As always, sending so much love(!) Thanks for being all sorts of wonderful. xoxo
Our bounty of summer zucchini has, regrettably not been very exciting as of late. My husband has been grilling it, and I've been grating it into morning muffins. Although I did make one of my favorite summer gratins. A contribution to a get-together of 30 African American Baptist church ladies + me (a story for another day)
Before they were plentiful at the farmers market, I'd been picking up the pre-zoodled kind from the grocery to saute with pesto, veggies, and some beans. A healthy dinner that's ready in fifteen minutes or less.
How else to jazz them up? Amidst Asian flavors of course(!) This one is not to be overlooked
This is a meal you'll crave every day; a healthy tangle of noodles, Asian flavored sauce, along with an abundance of green onions and beef. It's inexpensive and quick -one of those near-perfect one-dish meals.
ps: If you have other zucchini recipes you love, I'd be grateful if you'd point me towards them in the comments
Enjoy!
xoxo
~ Adapted from Paleo Gluten-Free Eats
Asian Zoodle Bowls with Beef
Ingredients
- Zoodles
- 3 medium zucchini squash
- 3 medium yellow summer squash
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- Sauce
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil (or grapeseed oil)
- ½ tsp fresh ginger, minced
- 1 Tbsp garlic, minced
- ½ cup Tamari sauce (or soy sauce, or coconut aminos)
- ½ cup water
- ⅓ - ½ cup dark brown sugar (or coconut sugar)
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes optional, but nice if you like a bit of heat
- Beef
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil (or grapeseed oil)
- 1 lb flank steak
- ¼ cup cornstarch (or arrowroot powder)
- 4-5 large green onions sliced on the diagonal into one-inch lengths (reserve a few for serving)
- black and/or white sesame seeds, for topping
Instructions
- Zoodles
- Prep your noodles with a spiralizer
- In a wok or (large, heavy-bottom pan) over medium-high heat, warm the sesame oil
- Add the zoodles and cook until they've softened. Set aside
- Sauce
- In a saucepan over low/medium heat, warm the coconut oil
- Add the ginger, garlic, Tamari sauce, and water
- Add the brown sugar, whisking until it's dissolved
- Add the red pepper flakes (if using)
- Increase the heat to medium and (stirring frequently) and bring the sauce to a slow boil.
- Reduce the heat slightly and continue to cook until the sauce has reduced and thickened. Remove from heat
- Beef
- Slice the flank steak against the grain, into ¼-inch thick bite-size slices (Tilt the blade of your knife at about a forty-five-degree angle to the top of the steak so you'll be able to make wider cuts)
- Dip the steak pieces into the cornstarch to apply a very thin dusting to both sides of each piece of beef. Let the beef sit for about 10 minutes
- As the beef sits, coat your wok (or pan) with a good layer of coconut or grapeseed oil. Heat the oil over medium heat until it’s nice and hot, but not smoking
- Add the beef to the wok in batches, and saute for 2 - 3 minutes, or until it has just begun to darken around the edges. Stir the meat around a bit, allowing it to cook evenly. (The idea here is to give the meat a good amount of surface area - essentially allowing it to sear on each side)
- After each batch, transfer the meat to a plate and set aside
- Finish and Serve
- Put the wok (or pan) back over the heat and add the seared meat, allowing it to simmer for a minute or two. Add the zoodles and cook for another minute
- Add the sauce, stirring to combine
- Add the green onions and cook for another couple of minutes
- Top with additional green onions, black and/or white sesame seeds before serving
48 Comments
We discovered zoodles recently and I can’t believe I didn’t try them sooner. I am absolutely in love with them and am kind of obsessed with them now.
With the summer months we have been eating fresh from the garden. I haven’t made any pasta except for pasta salad in awhile. Thinking this would make a nice change from our BBQ and salad dishes.
You are so lucky to live in a college town even though they do have their hiccups. We used to live in Fayetteville, AR, and I absolutely loved it. The students brought so much life, and traffic, to the area. The fall months are the best for the beautiful weather, football, and get togethers. Makes me homesick. In regards to your zucchini, there must be a ton leftover if you have enough for multiple recipes, grilling, zoodles, muffins, etc. I have to be honest, I’ve been afraid to try baked goods with zucchini because I’m scared that’s what it will taste like. Maybe one day. Your Asian zoodles look really good though! They’d be gone in no time. 🙂
We love zoodles but I can’t seem to get them to look like real noodles like in your pictures. What’s your trick? Do you mix in some GF noodles with it? Looks like a delicious recipe.
To be honest I’m not ready for school to start myself. This summer went way too fast and I would like a repeat please. This dish looks delicious and creative.
I honestly can’t imagine a zoodles meal I’d love more than this one. So yeah. I’ll have to try it!
We live in a college town too. The thing is, when all the students leave in May, we then start getting summer tourists. So I really can’t always tell the “off seasons.” I guess we don’t really have one!
And generally our kids go back to school (below college level, anyway) after Labor Day but it’s a little early this year. 29 days until school starts!!
This looks amazing. I love asian food, but I’ve never been one to make it myself. I don’t think I could get it to turn out the right way.
I only have one more child in college and after that, I will get the relax time I truly deserve. I have fulfilled one of my missions in life – to prepare them and give them the skill sets they need to make it on their own. I could have my lazy afternoons on the porch, not worrying, not rushing. Maybe I would make those Asian Zoodle bowls with beef too!
I’ve been meaning to try zoodles for ages! I love zucchini so I think I would really like it and it would cut down on carbs. I just can’t bring myself to pay for / find storage space for a spiralizer :/
I’m so glad you’re having a great summer. Bty, have you tried Noodles and Company? I saw yesterday that they have gluten free options and they have a couple very good Asian options as well
I’ve been enjoying the easy summer pace. The back to school specials are haunting my sanity! I’ll just hide in my living room with a bowl of these delicious zoodles.
I haven’t given myself the chance to read anything at all lately, unfortunately. I would imagine maybe sometimes you feel about living in a college town the same way as I feel about living at the shore – sometimes I like it when the influx of people just isn’t here.
I am a teacher and I am NOT looking forward to the end of this month either 🙁 Those zoodles are amazing…they look like lo mein; so yummy!!!
I’m not looking forward to the back to school like. Though my son gets up on his own without me having to get up with him, I still get up. I am going to miss sleeping in. Now, this dish seriously made me hungry! It looks so good!
This looks absolutely fantastic. I love that zoodles were used for a lighter meal. I’m all about easy and healthy these days so this is right up my alley. I can’t wait to make this, thank you!
I love zoodles! We make them at home all the time, not quite the same as we don’t have the machine for it but close enough! Also, no beef for us, we opt for tofu in asian versions!
I can’t believe summer is ending, either. My son is getting ready to go back to college in just a few weeks.
I’ve been enjoying some slow summer days too – at least as much as I can! I’m glad that you are back to the blog though because this zoodle dish is exactly what I was looking for this week. I have SO MANY zuchinni coming out of my garden and I needed a new recipe.
Omg! Girl…. a few things. That pineapple saying is cute, and I, no joke, just found them on cute hand towels in Wal Mart for .75 each. So I got a couple. I wish you were my neighbour so I can go buy one for you!
I also, to answer your question, have not picked up a cook book in so long. I don’t even remember where they are in my house. LOL
I gave my BFF a pineapple framed picture that had that quote. She loves pineapples. 🙂 Summer went way to fast. This bowl recipe looks great. WE are always looking for ways to switch up our noodles
The color of that noodle bowl is seriously making me so hungry. I love a noodle bowl but a rich brown sauce like that you made is ever so tempting!
I have been flipping with my food/mood changes. Sometimes I’m all about the fresh veggies and sometimes it’s comfort food. This zoodle bowl looks like it hits the best of both worlds and could totally trick me into thinking it’s a giant bowl of pasta.
I think we all fall into that glorious summer slump, where are bodies slow down and bask in the summer glow, not wanting it to go. But it’s not complacent to allow yourself to fall into a slower groove! Thanks for touching in with us and saying, plus jazzing up these zoodles.
I don’t know if I am ready for Zoodles yet in my life, I love the traditional noodles too much haha. One day I will have to try it because my toddler is starting to fight his veggies. For now, I will use the sauce and meat portions of the recipe to create my dinner tomorrow! 🙂 I didn’t know coconut sugar existed, I will have to look that up because I am always trying to find “healthy” sugars for my kids instead of the refined sugars. Thanks for exposing me to new ingredients!
I’m kinda jealous of how fun and relaxed your summer sounds. It’s winter here in South Africa, and I’m a summer girl. I’m counting down the days to summer. My husband loves trying new recipes (he’s the cook between the 2 of us) and this is definitely something I’m gonna show him. Maybe even for dinner tonight.
It’s nice to hear that you’re getting back into the swing of the blog AND you’ve been busy with summer activities. That’s what summer is for. I do love myself some zoodles, but I would make these with tofu. I’m still connected to the veggie world 🙂
I think I need to take a little time off and focus less on then blog. I have been going non stop besides one little break in then beginning of the month but I came back to so much work. You make a little family time sound heavenly, I need to take it all in and feel more connected to them before the full on work schedule comes back in the fall. This recipe looks good, I will have to give it a try.
These zoodles look perfect. Great way to spice them up a little bit! Our zucchini has been slow to come in this year, but I’m tucking this away for when it does.
I’ve been reading Present Over Perfect this week – a recommendation from you and one that I am enjoying very much. I’m working on slowing down the rest of my summer. I’ve been working from sunrise to sunset most days, and I’m really hoping to claim August for myself.
I have to say zoodles and zucchini are two of my favorite Z words! Spot on with bringing Asian flavors together with zoodles and beef, amazing pairing of flavors.
This looks amazing…but I have to say minus the beef! 😉 I’d just need to throw in some tofu and I’d be good to go! I make rice bowls ALL the time but never make noodle bowls…time to switch it up!
I can’t believe it’s August and my kids just started school so it’s now back to a schedule and healthy food options.
Yes. Making. I just zoodled up 2 zucchini’s today and need a new recipe. We have all the ingredients! And I just picked up the Trader Joe’s sriracha a week or so ago. I was nervous it wouldn’t be as good as the original – but I love it!
To be very honest, before reading your post I was not knowing about Zoodles. Really a very innovative for me atleast. Being vegetarian, I would add cottage cheese(Paneer) instead of Beef. Zucchini is my favorite too.
I’ve appreciated seeing Zucchini really making its foray into the culinary spotlight as of late to be honest, and it seems this is another example. I also appreciate the idea of “livening” up the dish using asian flavours, and I’m sure you’re right that it’s a dish I’ll be craving in no time!
Well, this certainly looks amazing! I’ve been craving Asian lately, will definitely be giving this a try soon!
I can definitely sympathize with you sometimes feeling it more and sometimes feeling it less when it comes to the blog. Summer can be crazy. And now I have my daughter for three weeks straight, which is a little unusual for me. Not that I don’t want her more but the judge changed up things this year and that means adjustments. So balancing having her and doing the blog has been challenging for sure. But it’s definitely a challenge for sure. And the recipe looks amazing as always. It’s always nice to have you around. As far as books right about now, I really am not reading anything. That’s sad to say for a librarian but it is what it is.
Aw I have periods like that when I lose a connection with my blog and it has been like this during this week. Hopefully next week I will feel more motivated. Slow summer days always has an impact on our motivation that is for sure. On another note I like the sound of these Asian Zoodle bowls they look delicious and I would love to make a veggie version x
I have always been a huge fan of noodles. These look really tasty with the small green onions. Thanks for the informational post!
What baseball games do you go to? This is my first time hearing the term “zoodles.”
Summer is so awesome, but like yours, ours is full of running around. Planning meals ahead of time is so helpful, and I’m definitely going to print this out and put it in my book for a future dinner. x
Look like a fried noodle . We love this food as one of Indonesian favorite . Usually we added some green veggie but not zucchini. I will love to try to add zucchini after reading this post .
Wow.. I couldn’t imagine living in a college town with that many students. The Asian Zoodle Bowls with Beef is right up my alley! I love anything with soy sauce or brown sugar. I have to invest in a spiralizer so I can make this recipe.
Made this for dinner this evening and it was delicious. Subbed maple syrup for brown sugar and it turned out great. Fresh herbs put it over the top!
I remember when I made this recipe for my wife she did not eat it because instead of brown suggar I added pepper accidently 😀
I live in a university town too and can already see everywhere gearing up ready for all of the students to come as well. I’ve only recently discovered zoodles, they are so good!
I can’t believe it’s August already either. Here in the UK the weather has been really bad, we didn’t have a summer yet. I live by the beach and I didn’t go sunbathing yet! I am looking forward to my moment of quietness, in a couple of weeks, when I go to Spain. A villa in the middle of nowhere, a pool and lots of sun.
I have always wanted this spiralizer thing ever since I saw zucchini spagetti. They really looks like noodles! I always make omelete once a week. Its my kind of lazy day dinner and I can use it whenever I want during the week!?
Five stars! I made this with udon noodles, and broccoli added. Undercooked the noodles by a couple minutes so that they’d get the last bit of cooking at the end and stay firm. SO YUMMY. Thank you!