{"id":8648,"date":"2017-08-30T09:34:27","date_gmt":"2017-08-30T13:34:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/veganlovlie.com\/?p=8648"},"modified":"2019-12-11T02:15:21","modified_gmt":"2019-12-11T07:15:21","slug":"konjac-spaghetti-tempeh-hoisin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/veganlovlie.com\/konjac-spaghetti-tempeh-hoisin\/","title":{"rendered":"Konjac Low Carb Spaghetti Stir-fry with Tempeh in Hoisin Sauce"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Konjac low-carb spaghetti<\/strong> (or shirataki noodles<\/em>) is perfect in a stir-fry where their delightful bouncy texture delivers a pasta-like bite similar to al dente. Toss in some vegetables and black bean tempeh<\/strong>, all seasoned with a homemade vegan hoisin sauce<\/strong>, and you can enjoy a flavourful low carb meal in relatively little time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This post is sponsored by nuPasta<\/a>. Read below<\/a> for full disclosure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pasta is a much-loved staple of so many tables around the world. I don\u2019t personally know of anyone who doesn\u2019t like a good pasta dish. Do you? I think if one would possibly turn down a pasta meal, it would most probably be because of the high carb content or gluten sensitivity, and not because of the taste, nor the long-lasting satisfaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kevin and I have recently been enjoying a new brand of pasta and I wanted to share our experience with you as we feel it\u2019s something you might like too. So we\u2019ve decided to partner with nuPasta<\/a> for this recipe. This is a brand of low calorie, low carb pasta, available in Canada, made with konjac and soy flour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is basically a fibre-based pasta instead of the usual starch-based. This keeps the calorie count in these noodles very low, with only 25 calories and 6 g of fibre per typical 210 g serving. That\u2019s about 1\/10th<\/sup> the amount of calories in regular starch-based pastas and 3 times the amount of fibre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Konjac noodles, or also known as shirataki<\/strong>, are not new to me. In fact, a few brands can now be found on the shelves of many regular grocery stores. I\u2019ve tried a couple of brands myself out of curiosity and also because I recognised the main ingredient \u2013 konjac<\/strong> \u2013 which I sometimes buy in the form of a gelatinous block, known as konyakku<\/strong>, at the Asian grocery store. It is sometimes flavoured with seaweed flakes and has a very chewy bouncy texture that doesn\u2019t lose any of its shape while being cooked. Konjac food is very popular in Eastern cuisines but not as much in the west.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is konjac?<\/strong>

The konjac plant typically grows in Japan, Korea and China. The edible part of the konjac plant is the root which is pretty similar to an oval-shaped taro or yam potato. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Konjac is composed mainly of glucomannan, a water-soluble dietary fibre. The main characteristic of konjac is that it has zero calories. So, it is one of the few foods that you\u2019ll expend more energy chewing than receive in calories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aside from its low-calorie properties, it has numerous health benefits. Glucomannan fills the stomach and slows the digestion process which creates a feeling of fullness without a lot of calories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being a dietary fibre and not starch, glucomannan helps to control blood sugar level, also reduces cholesterol and regulates bowel movement. Read more on the benefits<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What we like about nuPasta is that it is less bouncy than other konjac noodles, with a texture and taste much closer to regular pasta \u2013 something that we find most appealing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The noodles still do have a delightful bounciness to them that is quite like al dente pasta, i.e. firm to bite. So, it is not a bad thing given that the extra chewing allows you to expend some extra calories without adding them on!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since the main ingredient is konjac, the fibre content in nuPasta keeps you full and satiated for a long period of time, which makes it especially great for those trying to manage their weight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

nuPasta comes in two lines of products \u2013 regular and organic \u2013 with 3 varieties of noodles in each \u2013 spaghetti, fettuccine and angel hair. They all taste the same just different shapes. The calories mainly come from the soy flour which results in zero net carb. These noodles contain no preservatives and are pre-cooked, so they just need reheating and are ready to eat in a matter of minutes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another thing that I like is that they come in packages that are shelf-stable, just like regular dried pasta, making it very convenient with storage and cooking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where to find nuPasta?<\/strong>

nuPasta is available in the health or pasta aisle in many regular grocery stores in Canada. You can also order it online from the nuPasta website with free delivery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One small thing to note, you may notice a slight seafood-y smell with the noodles when you\u2019ve just opened the pack. This is characteristic of the konjac itself. Once thoroughly rinsed and reheated or cooked, the smell simply goes away completely.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though the virtues of konjac are usually favoured by dieters, those with gluten sensitivity, managing diabetes or high cholesterol or who are on a fitness regime, aside from its low-caloric properties, I think konjac can well be appreciated simply because it’s delicious!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Today we are introducing the nuPasta spaghetti in a vegetable stir-fry with our homemade black bean tempeh, all seasoned with a vegan hoisin sauce made from scratch. For the black bean tempeh, just follow the same process in our tempeh-making tutorial<\/a> and substitute the soybeans with black beans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To make this recipe gluten-free, use tamari (instead of soy sauce) or check out our own homemade soy-free gluten-free \u201csoy\u201d sauce substitute<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Watch the video as Kevin demonstrates the easy process of making this low carb spaghetti stir-fry.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n