Clean Eating Recipe #2: Spinach Konnyaku Noodles on a Bed of Garlic Sauteed Fresh Greens

If you haven't heard of Konnyaku noodles, you're either A) not Asian (although I admit I'm Chinese and I'd never heard of them until they made their way into the health industry haha) or B) not particularly bothered about counting calories (count yourself lucky! :P)

Konnyaku jelly is traditionally used in sweet jellies and in Asian hotpots (I used to think they were seafood - like little octopuses! Lols.) but have been garnishing more and more attention these days as a health food. Because of their similar texture to pasta, it is now promoted as a low-calorie alternative to the traditional carb-heavy ingredient.

Pasta without the calories?! Of course I'm intrigued....but it's taken me quite a while to find the stuff.

At 1.99 pounds (HKD 24) this sure is one pricey dish of homecooked noodles.

Living in the UK, I couldn't find it anywhere in the supermarkets. In the end, I traipsed through the refrigerator aisle at my local chinese supermarket and found it between the tofu and kimchi.

After all the water is drained....this pitiful portion is all that's left :'(

On the front of the packet it says the entire pack is 28 kcal. Being the calorie-stinge that I try to be, I wanted to split the packet in two portions and only consume 14kcal - but alas, once all the water was drained, there was...not much left. So the full pack went into the pan :)

My favorite herbs of all time - fresh basil and thyme

Quarter cup of chopped herbs and my favorite greens - only 1.50 pounds for two packs at Tesco!

One of my favorite tips to eating healthy is to cut down on the salt and MSG/flavorings by using as many herbs (fresh or dried) as you can. My favorites are the above two because of their versatility and nutty flavors which often enhance the chopped roasted almonds that I add to most of my dishes. I'm a bit of a nut ;)

As a sauce, one of my favorite ways to cut down on cream and unnecessary calories as well as enhance the flavour of the dish is to melt a little bit of salted butter into the pan when everything is cooked. A little butter is harmless, adds flavor and moisture to the dish and overall keeps me satisfied with its buttery aroma and taste. 

The finished product:

My mama taught me to love my greens. I think I took it to the next level ;) 

A closer look at that hot green goodness

The verdict on Konnyaku jelly noodles? The truth is, they surprised me. Usually health foods leave me unsatisfied and eating even more - but these were surprisingly filling and satisfying in both taste and texture. However, at 2 pounds/HKD 24 a pack, it's not exactly something I'll be running out to buy as a daily grocery ingredient. (Maybe it's cheaper in HK?)

But other than the price - it really is a great alternative to pasta and if you're interested in trying it out I'd definitely recommend it! As for me, I think it's back to portion control with the carbs until I can afford to eat this stuff on a daily basis ;)

Have you tried Konnyaku jelly noodles?

Nikki