Spiralized onion burgers, butternut squash 'spaghetti' and courgetti CAKE: Can you REALLY feed a hungry dinner party with an entire menu made using a spiralizer?

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FEMAIL's Bianca London used Spiralize Now recipe book
Made spiralized crisps, courgetti noodles and burgers
Healthy meals were a hit among her four friends

Published: 04:04 EST, 4 August 2015 | Updated: 05:30 EST, 4 August 2015

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We know that refined carbohydrates like rice and spaghetti aren't really any good for us, but sometimes we need some stodge to keep us feeling full and fed.

So when the spiralizer - a kitchen gadget that claims you can create nutritious, low-calorie, low-carb ‘pasta’, ‘noodles’ and ‘rice’ from everyday fruit and vegetables in less time than it takes to peel a spud - was unveiled, it fast became the kitchen gadget du jour.

We all know that the magic machine can spin a simple courgette into a generous bowl of ‘spaghetti’ in a flash, but can it do much else?

Denise Smart believes so; and has even penned an 80-recipe strong book to prove it. With recipes ranging from Thai beef salad and crispy spiralized potato fries to courgette and lemon drizzle cake and apple tarte tatin, Denise claims that Spiralize Now will open your eyes to the true versatility of the spiralizer.

Keen to put the fashionable kitchen gadget and Denise's recipes to the test, FEMAIL's Bianca London decided to throw a dinner party for four friends using the book. Here's how she got on...

Keen to put fashionable kitchen gadget the spiralizer to the test, FEMAIL's Bianca London decided to throw a dinner party for four friends using recipes from the book

I'm a sucker for healthy gadgets and gizmos but after excitedly making courgetti using a spiralizer my brother bought me for Christmas last year a grand total of once, the novelty quickly wore off.

So when I discovered Spiralize Now, which details nearly 100 healthy and hearty recipes for your spiralizer, I was keen to find out what else I could do with my £30 gadget from Amazon.

The premise behind the book is that you can spiralize a variety of vegetables using the different blades on your spiralizer.

From courgetti (courgette spaghetti) to cunoodles (cucumber noodles), Denise claims that it is now easier than ever to create healthy twists to your favourite meals.

She writes: 'Perfect for the health-conscious, these vegetables can become the star of your dish, replacing heavier ingredients such as pasta and rice, so that you can enjoy your meal while eating fewer calories and cutting back on refined carbohydrates.'

Bianca London, pictured making courgetti, used Spiralize Now, which details nearly 100 healthy and hearty recipes for your spiralizer

Whilst the book is all about championing vegetables, it's by no means solely for vegetarians. I also made Moroccan turkey burgers, left, which I prepared the night before by spiralizing courgette and mixing it with turkey mince, spring onions, cumin and harissa paste, as well as a courgetti, quinoa and pomegranate salad with chicken, right

For pudding I baked a courgette and lemon drizzle cake, which I was somewhat skeptical about (who wants green vegetables in their pudding?). This was, however, delicious - and was extremely aesthetically pleasing

I decided to whip up baked vegetable crisps and courgetti and haloumi bruschetta for starter.

To make the crisps, you simply spiralize a few sweet potatoes and beetroots, drizzle some oil over them and season. Then you bake them for half an hour, turning half way through, and leave them to cool and crisp up overnight.

I wouldn't use beetroot again because it was extremely messy and the chips didn't crisp up as well as the sweet potato did but my friends genuinely thought they were Tyrells crisps.

For the bruschetta, I simply spiralized some courgettes and drizzled them with olive oil, some crushed garlic and mixed herbs and pan fried them before putting them on some crispy ciabatta with tomato and haloumi.

I then used the ribbon blade to make some courgette ribbons, which I added to a quinoa, pomegranate and pistachio salad and also made courgetti with crab, chilli and lemon, both of which were so simple to prepare the night before the party.

The real hero dish of the evening was the butternut squash with sage and pine nuts, which involved pan frying the squash ribbons in sage, butter and pine nuts before stirring in some parmesan.

The dinner was a surprising hit and my friends were impressed by just how much you can do with a simple spiralizer

The real beauty of the spiralizer - and the book - is that you can prepare most of your dishes the day or night before

Whilst the book is all about championing vegetables, it's by no means solely for vegetarians.

I also made Moroccan turkey burgers, which I prepared the night before by spiralizing courgette and mixing it with turkey mince, spring onions, cumin and harissa paste and leaving to chill. The burgers took less than ten minutes to grill on the night and were delicious served with a homemade guacamole.

For pudding I baked a courgette and lemon drizzle cake, which I was a little skeptical about (who wants green vegetables in their pudding?). This was, however, delicious. You couldn't taste the courgetti at all and whilst it wasn't totally virtuous, it felt it.

The dinner was a surprising hit and my friends were impressed by just how much you can do with a simple spiralizer - and how good you can make vegetables taste when you know what to do with them.

The real beauty of the gadget - and the book - is that you can prepare most of your dishes the day or night before and it teaches you how to make vegetables the hero of the dish.

I decided to whip up baked vegetable crisps - a healthy take on Tyrells - and courgetti and haloumi bruschetta for starter

Indeed, as Myles Hopper, founder of lean meal kit company Mindful Chef, explains: 'One of the most beneficial things you can get from spiralizing is to eat more vegetables. Without knowing it, you are increasing the amount of dietary fiber you are consuming, which will help you feel fuller and help aid digestion.

'Vegetables are gluten-free and paleo friendly. If you have certain dietary requirements, spiralizing allows you to still be creative with your meals. If you can't or don't want to eat a lot of carbs you can replace most pasta-laden dishes with spiralized vegetables.

'Our favourite at Mindful Chef is either courgetti bolognese or butter squash noodles.

'It is really easy and quick to do. Unlike pasta or rice, you don't have to wait for the water to boil. Once you've spiralized your vegetables just add them to your favourite dish for a filling and tasty meal.'

SPIRALIZE NOW: THE RECIPES BIANCA USED FROM THE BOOK

Baked Vegetable Crisps

Serves 4

Prepare in 10 minutes

Cook in 30–35 minutes

Ingredients: 1 sweet potato, peeled, ends trimmed and halved widthways, 1 large parsnip, peeled, ends trimmed and halved widthways, 2 fresh beetroot, scrubbed and ends trimmed, 2 tablespoons olive oil and sea salt flakes

Method: These colourful oven-baked vegetable crisps make a healthy alternative to deep-fried potato crisps. Any leftovers can be stored for 1–2 days in an airtight container. Line 2 large baking sheets with nonstick baking paper. Using a spiralizer fitted with a ribbon blade, spiralize the sweet potato, parsnip and beetroot. Place the spiralized vegetables in a large bowl, drizzle with the oil, sprinkle with a little sea salt and mix well. Spread out the vegetables in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets. Bake in a preheated oven, 160°C (325°F), Gas Mark 3, for 30–35 minutes, turning the vegetables and swapping over the baking sheets in the oven halfway through the cooking time, until the crisps are lightly golden and crispy. (Remove any crisps that are already golden when you turn over the vegetables.) Turn off the oven. Return any crisps you removed to the baking sheets and leave the crisps in the oven to cool and crisp up – the crisps will become extra crispy as they cool. Sprinkle with a little extra sea salt and serve.

Baked Vegetable Crisps

Chicken, Courgette and Quinoa Salad

Serves 4

Prepare in 10 minutes

Cook in 20–30 minutes

Ingredients: 200 g (7 oz) quinoa, rinsed, 2 courgettes, ends trimmed and halved widthways, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 teaspoons sumac, 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, finely grated rind and juice of 1 large unwaxed lemon, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 4 tablespoons chopped mint, 100 g (3½ oz) pistachios, roughly chopped, 150 g (5 oz) pomegranate seeds, salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method: Griddling the courgette ribbons gives them a lovely smoky flavour. Be careful not to overcook the courgettes or they will lose their texture. Place the quinoa in a saucepan, cover with 600 ml (1 pint) cold water and add a little salt. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10–15 minutes or until the quinoa is tender and has absorbed most of the water. Remove from the heat, cover and leave to stand while you prepare the rest of the salad. Using a spiralizer fitted with a ribbon blade, spiralize the courgettes. Place the olive oil and sumac in shallow dish and season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Heat a griddle pan until hot. Add the chicken and cook over a medium heat for 4– 6 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Add the spiralized courgettes to the griddle pan and cook for about 2 minutes or until lightly charred. Place the quinoa in a large bowl, add the lemon rind and juice, extra virgin olive oil, mint and pistachios, mix well and season to taste. Gently stir in the courgettes and pomegranate seeds. Thinly slice the chicken breasts. Divide the quinoa salad between 4 plates, top with the chicken and serve immediately.

Chicken, Courgette and Quinoa Salad

Courgette And Lemon Drizzle Cake

Serves 8

Prepare in 20 minutes

Cook in 40–45 minutes

Ingredients: 2 courgettes, ends trimmed and halved widthways, finely grated rind of 2 unwaxed lemons, 200 g (7 oz) unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing, 200 g (7 oz) caster sugar, 3 eggs, beaten, 200 g (7 oz) self-raising flour, sifted

For the lemon syrup: 75 g (3 oz) granulated sugar juice of 2 lemons (about 100 ml/3 ½ fl oz)

Method: The spiralized courgettes add moisture to this really lemony cake. The cake’s crusty topping is made by pouring lemon syrup over the top of the cake while it is still warm. Grease a 20 cm (8 inch) springform cake tin and line the base with nonstick baking paper. Using a spiralizer fi tted with a 3mm (. inch) spaghetti blade, spiralize the courgettes. Roughly snip any really long spirals in half with scissors. Place the lemon rind, butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs a little at a time, whisking well after each addition. If the mixture starts to curdle, add 1 tablespoon of the flour. Using a metal spoon, fold in the spiralized courgettes and flour until you have a really thick mixture. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake in the centre of a preheated oven, 180ÅãC (350ÅãF), Gas Mark 4, for 40–45 minutes, until risen, golden and shrinking away from the sides of the tin. Meanwhile, as soon as the cake goes into the oven, make the lemon syrup. Put the sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl and leave in a warm place (next to the oven is ideal) while the cake bakes, stirring the mixture occasionally. Remove the cake from the oven and prick all over the surface of the cake, about 20 times, with a cocktail stick. Slowly drizzle over the lemon syrup, waiting a few moments for the syrup to sink in before adding more. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then remove from the tin and transfer to a cooling rack. Decorate with the candied lemon peel.

Courgette And Lemon Drizzle Cake

Moroccan Turkey Burgers

Serves 6

Prepare in 10 minutes, plus chilling

Cook in 15 minutes

Ingredients: 1 large courgette, ends trimmed and halved widthways, 500 g (1lb) lean turkey or chicken breast mince, 4 spring onions, chopped, 1 garlic clove, crushed, 2 tablespoons chopped mint, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander, 1 tablespoon harissa paste, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 egg, beaten, 1 teaspoon salt freshly ground black pepper, 1 tablespoon sunflower oil, for brushing

Method: These spiced burgers are delicious served with flatbreads, salad leaves and large spoonfuls of sumac yogurt dip. Using a spiralizer fitted with a 3 mm (1⁄8 inch) spaghetti blade, spiralize the courgette. Place all the burger ingredients in a large bowl and use your hands to mix the ingredients together. Divide the mixture into 6 portions and shape into large burgers. Transfer the burgers to a plate and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Place the burgers on a nonstick baking sheet and brush the burgers with a little oil. Cook the burgers under a preheated hot grill for 6–7 minutes on each side or until cooked through. While the burgers are cooking, make the dip. Place all the ingredients in a small bowl, mix together and season to taste. Serve the burgers hot