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Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Shirataki Alfredo! And a New Look!

So what do you think about the new look? My blog has had the same damn design since, oh, 2008. I've been meaning to re-design forever, but I hate working in PhotoShop. So I just kept putting off designing a new blog header. I finally got my ass in gear this week and used a photo of my BBQ Tempeh & Carrot Sandwich (from my cookbook, due out in January) for a new banner. Tonight, I played with colors and fonts. I think I'm finally happy with it. Let me know if there's any issues with reading the links or font colors. I can always make adjustments.

Now on to the food. I don't have the Food Network, but I sometimes watch it at my parents' house. When I visited them a few weeks ago, my mom had recorded an episode of the Hungry Girl show, in which she made a quick microwave version of fettucine alfredo with tofu shirataki noodles. Her version wasn't vegan, of course, but it was a great concept.

If you've never had tofu shirataki noodles, you're totally missing out. They're so low-cal, it hurts. One package of two servings only has 40 CALORIES! Yet two servings equals well over one cup of pasta. I never eat a single serving of this stuff because it's so light. Granted, the noodles, which come water-packed, are pretty smelly when you first crack open a package. But rinsing and heating takes the smell away. They taste NOTHING like they smell.

Hungry Girl's recipe is actually printed on the back of the House Tofu brand shirataki noodles. But rather than veganize her version, I took an even easier route. I used Lindsay Nixon's Fettucine Alfredo Sauce from the Happy Herbivore cookbook:

Her low-cal sauce is made from silk tofu, soymilk, and nutritional yeast. And I added peas and parsley for good measure. This bowl was only 200 calories, and I really piled on the sauce.
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33 comments:

  1. Prada handbags saleJuly 14, 2011 at 3:08 AM

    i am like your post and would like to read everyday!

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  2. JL goes VeganJuly 14, 2011 at 5:02 AM

    I like the new look of the blog! (

    I love these noodles and love your addition of peas.

    Funny, first time I used them after going vegan I didn't know what to do with them. I rinsed them, drained them and tossed them onto a baking sheet in the oven. Still wasn't sure what to do with them I saw that I had left over cheezy sauce from The Happy Herbivore. Thawed it and tossed the lightly baked noodles in if for a "mock tuna casserole" sort of dish. It was tasty!

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  3. foodfeudJuly 14, 2011 at 6:48 AM

    I like the new look! (Though I was looking forward to a new haircut, perhaps, or a new color...)
    I like these noodles a lot and because they're so light and bland, there's so much you can do with them.

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  4. AnonymousJuly 14, 2011 at 6:52 AM

    New design looks great!

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  5. RickiJuly 14, 2011 at 7:02 AM

    I actually had a bowl of these earlier in the week! I like them, won't say I love them. I use a Thai nut sauce on mine, which works pretty well.

    The new blog look is lovely, but sadly I can no longer read the print this way--not enough contrast for these old eyes--it just looks like a mess of brown to me. I'm glad it's still black-on-white in Google Reader. :)

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  6. VeggieLowJuly 14, 2011 at 7:36 AM

    i agree it's harder to read the comments... but i love the header! and my eyes aren't old hehe :)

    i never know how to cook the noodles... do you boil them? or just heat them in the oven? tips?

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  7. KariJuly 14, 2011 at 7:36 AM

    I like the new look - no problems, it's definitely easy to read.

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  8. Scissors and SpiceJuly 14, 2011 at 8:47 AM

    Bianca--I would just make the banner fit all the way across. It think the size is around 800 pixels. :)

    And how bad do the noodles smell? I'm a little gaggy and just thinking about them smelling when opened already gets me gagging! LOL!

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  9. NikkiJuly 14, 2011 at 10:02 AM

    Lookin' good! Love the header & your photo is super cute, too. I've been wondering about those noodles, I didn't realize they're so low-cal!

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  10. VeganCouchPotatoJuly 14, 2011 at 10:28 AM

    Shirataki!!!!!! those look great.... I like the noodles and peas comb0 :)

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  11. Ainsley DrewJuly 14, 2011 at 10:38 AM

    Hey, Bianca! The new look is awesome...even more awesome than Shirataki noodles!

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  12. The Health SenseiJuly 14, 2011 at 11:15 AM

    the alfredo looks great, the design looks better! i need someone to design a header for my blog, i'm so sick of the plain-ness...dammit!

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  13. LizJuly 14, 2011 at 11:16 AM

    cute new design!

    I actually first tried the Shirataki noodles because I saw them in a chinese supermarket, then read about them on HG.

    I don't know..Maybe I have no idea how to heat them but they taste JUST like they smell to me..i.e gross.

    Any tips?

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  14. GloJuly 14, 2011 at 11:17 AM

    I saw that same episode of Hungry Girl. I've only used these noodles once but may be I need to give them another try.

    I like the new look of the blog.
    From an ex-Memphian!

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  15. Jess - The Domestic VeganJuly 14, 2011 at 11:17 AM

    I LOVE the new look!!! Great new header! I want that sandwich in my mouth.

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  16. and_i_sayJuly 14, 2011 at 11:36 AM

    I caught that episode recently too. Interesting idea on how to use the noodles. Have you seen any other episodes? Her show is super dependent on really processed diet foods. It's a little disgusting.

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  17. Jesse @ Happy Go Lucky VeganJuly 14, 2011 at 11:42 AM

    I love the new look! And I appreciate the reminder that I should probably update my blog as well. :)

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  18. Lindsay (Happy Herbivore)July 14, 2011 at 12:17 PM

    Woo!

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  19. Leslie RichmanJuly 14, 2011 at 12:19 PM

    *Love* those noodles. They are a lifesaver! I think your blog looks great :)

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  20. ErinJuly 14, 2011 at 12:30 PM

    Great new look! I like the font in the header. I haven't updated my blog's design since I began it, ugh...really need to do that before Vida Vegan!

    The pasta dish looks great. I always skip over shirataki because they're almost TOO low cal, if that makes any sense.

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  21. JenJuly 14, 2011 at 12:43 PM

    I love the new look, Crunky Lady. I've only had the noodles once, and I think alfredo would probably go really well with them. Probably much better than the Vindaloo curry stuff I had from So-Yah!

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  22. dreaminitveganJuly 14, 2011 at 2:20 PM

    I likey!

    Okay I'll have to try those noodles, I always see them when I go shopping.

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  23. AnonymousJuly 14, 2011 at 5:10 PM

    The new look is great, I agree with the person who said they wanted that sandwich in their mouth!!
    Where do you get shirataki from? Is it a chinese supermarket product or just something that has been introduced in supermarkets in the US but not the UK?

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  24. Kittie FlynJuly 14, 2011 at 6:26 PM

    I agree with Liz.

    I bought some of those noodles but when I opened them they smelled a little off. And the directions to cook seemed odd. You dry them out and then you cook them?

    Am I just dense and is there an easier way to use them?

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  25. A frame of mindJuly 14, 2011 at 8:20 PM

    Those noodles are awesome, used them just the other day too. Rinsed them and microwaved them then tossed them with sauce - super easy. Good stuff!

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  26. Scissors and SpiceJuly 14, 2011 at 8:54 PM

    Ah! The banner looks great now! :)

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  27. AnonymousJuly 14, 2011 at 9:15 PM

    Loving the new look! <3

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  28. Sarah S.July 15, 2011 at 11:22 AM

    Totally loving the new look, Bianca! And shirataki, mmm!!

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  29. UnknownJuly 15, 2011 at 2:46 PM

    I love the new look. I was shocked when I read a later post first with the difference. I love that these noodles look lighter than regular pasta. I think they would be good to eat before long runs as I have been having difficulty with doing it after noodles recently.

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  30. Kara HadleyJuly 15, 2011 at 7:26 PM

    I really wish I liked those noodles, because that looks amazing! And can you ever eat alfredo without peas?

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  31. CadryJuly 18, 2011 at 8:39 AM

    The new look is great! The header really pops.

    I tried those noodles a month or two ago, and they didn't work for me. I thought they tasted like they smelled and the texture was really rubbery. I'd already made pesto for them, but worried the noodles would ruin the whole dish. So I threw them out and made whole wheat noodles instead.

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  32. Amber @ Zombie Cats Eating PlantsJuly 18, 2011 at 7:21 PM

    love the new look. and i must try this recipe. i didnt know they made fettuccine style noodles.

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  33. VeloveganJuly 22, 2011 at 7:05 PM

    I LOVE shiritaki noodles.... mmmm! best thing ever! i must get some more again! xxx

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I live for your comments!! Seriously. I'm waiting right now for you to write something.