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You are here: Home / Recipes / 5:2 Diet Recipes / No Calorie Noodles and the 5:2 Diet

No Calorie Noodles and the 5:2 Diet

May 24, 2013 by Fiona Maclean 29 Comments

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Stirfry Chicken with Shirataki Noodles – a 5:2 Diet Recipe:

There’s something rather fishy about the idea of noodles with no calories.  Actually these DO have calories but, just 5 calories per 100 grams, so almost not worth bothering about.  And, they do smell a little fishy when you open the packet.  They are sold in a weird kind of liquid – and it’s not not noodles that smell fishy but the liquid which is used to preserve them.  Anyone who uses London-Unattached as a resource for 5:2 diet recipes will know that I’ve I’ve posted about shirataki or konjac noodles before, but as I’ve been using them I’ve learnt a few useful lessons that I’d like to pass on.  And I hope you’ll find them as useful as me.

Today’s recipe is for a simple 5:2 diet stirfry that I’ve made for several years.  I’ve adapted it a bit to help with some of the issues I’ve found using shirataki noodles and I’ve also prettied it up with some coriander flowers.  But that has more to do with the fact that my coriander plant has seeded.  You could use strips of spring onion or sesame seeds instead if you haven’t neglected  managed to get your coriander plant to flower yet.

5:2 stirfry chicken with shirataki noodles

Here are four useful tricks that will help you enjoy these VERY useful noodles

  • Soak them and rinse them very well.  The sort I have (which came from Holland and Barrett) seem to be best suited to being put in a large bowl, covered with about a litre of boiling water and left for five minutes.  Then drained off in a sieve and rinsed with another litre or so of water.
  • What ever dish you are using the noodles for, make sure you have plenty of liquid sauce. The noodles themselves are flavourless so you need to stir them in at the end of cooking and mix them well with the rest of your stirfry, rather than making a pretty nest
  • Shirataki noodles are fine and slippery.  You need smallish pieces of vegetables and meat or fish to mix into the dish, or you’ll end up with big clumps of noodles.
  • Consider making a sauce that is just a bit stronger than you might normally use.  The tasteless noodles need a bit of extra kick, whether that is from chilli, soy or herbs and spices.
Print
5-2 Diet Stir Fry Chicken and Watercress with Shirataki Noodles
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
6 mins
Total Time
26 mins
 
Course: Main
Cuisine: Asian
Servings: 1 -2
Author: Fiona Maclean
Ingredients
  • 100 g Chicken breast
  • 150 g Shirataki noodles
  • 2 cloves Garlic finely chopped
  • 1 Shallot Peeled and finely sliced
  • 1 bunch Watercress Around 150 grams
  • 1 teaspoon Light low salt soy sauce
  • 1 Chilli De-seeded and finely chopped
  • 1 piece Fresh ginger about 2cm/1inch peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 handful Fresh Coriander chopped
  • 1 teaspoon Sesame seed oil
  • 1 tablespoon Mirin or wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Honey
Instructions
  1. Slice the chicken breast into thin strips and marinade in the soy, garlic, ginger and mirin for 20-30 minutes
  2. Boil a kettle of water and soak the noodles in hot boiling water for 5 minutes, while you make the stirfry
  3. Heat the oil in a wok till just smoking
  4. Aadd the chicken, shallot, garlic, chilli and ginger. Reserve the soy/mirin liquid for later
  5. Stir fry for 1-2 minutes over a high heat
  6. Reduce the heat slightly and add in the watercress. Stir fry for one further minute
  7. Meanwhile, drain the noodles and rinse through with more boiling water
  8. Add the drained noodles and the soy/mirin mixture to the pan then stir in the honey and coriander
    5:2 diet chicken and watercress stirfry in wok
  9. Season with salt and black pepper to taste and garnish with fresh coriander flowers.

I’ve used watercress here.  It was something of an experiment, but one that worked rather well, though a whole bag of watercress was really only just enough.  You could substitute baby spinach or pak choi if you prefer – or a mix of the two.  The good thing about most leafy green vegetables is that they have virtually no calories, so this dish works really well for the 5:2 diet.  By using zero calorie noodles, there’s enough ‘room’ to make a really good sauce by including a little honey and by frying in sesame oil, both of which I think make a big difference to the taste of the dish.  And, you know, this dish is low enough in calories (about 250 calories in total including the noodles) to eat the lot yourself if you are very hungry…or share and have a side salad.

The noodles do mean that you can adapt most of your own stir-fry recipes for the 5:2 diet without too much effort.  Just check the calories and avoid adding large quantities of pre-made stir fry sauces which can really wreck your diet – most of them will add around 100 calories per serving!

My other recipes with shirataki noodles include a spicy seafood stirfry  and this beef stirfry.  And I have an adapted sweet and sour chicken recipe which uses stevia to sweeten the sauce and would also work well with shirataki noodles for a 5:2 diet fast day.  Good luck with your dieting.  My next fast day is Sunday and I’ll be hoping to come up with something yummy to make for my own supper then.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Print
5-2 Diet Stir Fry Chicken and Watercress with Shirataki Noodles
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
6 mins
Total Time
26 mins
 
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Asian
Servings: 1 -2
Author: Fiona Maclean
Ingredients
  • 100 g Chicken breast
  • 150 g Shirataki noodles
  • 2 cloves Garlic finely chopped
  • 1 Shallot Peeled and finely sliced
  • 1 bunch Watercress Around 150 grams
  • 1 teaspoon Light low salt soy sauce
  • 1 Chilli De-seeded and finely chopped
  • 1 piece Fresh ginger about 2cm/1inch peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 handful Fresh Coriander chopped
  • 1 teaspoon Sesame seed oil
  • 1 tablespoon Mirin or wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Honey
Instructions
  1. Slice the chicken breast into thin strips and marinade in the soy, garlic, ginger and mirin for 20-30 minutes
  2. Boil a kettle of water and soak the noodles in hot boiling water for 5 minutes, while you make the stirfry
  3. Heat the oil in a wok till just smoking
  4. Aadd the chicken, shallot, garlic, chilli and ginger. Reserve the soy/mirin liquid for later
  5. Stir fry for 1-2 minutes over a high heat
  6. Reduce the heat slightly and add in the watercress. Stir fry for one further minute
  7. Meanwhile, drain the noodles and rinse through with more boiling water
  8. Add the drained noodles and the soy/mirin mixture to the pan then stir in the honey and coriander
    5:2 diet chicken and watercress stirfry in wok
  9. Season with salt and black pepper to taste and garnish with fresh coriander flowers.

Filed Under: 5:2 Diet Recipes, Poultry Tagged With: 5-2 diet, 5:2 diet, 5:2 diet recipe, fast diet

About Fiona Maclean

London based freelance writer and marketing consultant. I edit London-Unattached.com and write for a number of other publications. With a music degree and a background in marketing across many sectors, my passions include all types of music, food, restaurants, wine and travel

Comments

  1. Sandy Hill says

    August 15, 2013 at 1:26 pm

    I may actually have to venture into H&B to look for these noodles. But even if I don’t I might try this with normal noodles, sounds lush.

    Reply
  2. Deborah Wheeler says

    August 13, 2013 at 7:22 pm

    Sounds really tasty and low calorie even better

    Reply
  3. Joanne Kelly says

    July 30, 2013 at 5:42 pm

    This looks gorgeous & a winner with the amount of calories! x

    Reply
  4. Faye Huntington says

    July 23, 2013 at 11:33 am

    Mmmm looks delicious! With love, Faye xx

    Reply
  5. Nicola Biven says

    July 23, 2013 at 11:28 am

    I’m on a calorie controlled diet at the moment and this sounds better than any takeaway, making my mouth water, I WILL be trying this !

    Reply
  6. Annie Costa says

    July 21, 2013 at 8:52 am

    Absolutely delish!Must try this soon!

    Reply
  7. Ashleigh Allan says

    July 20, 2013 at 4:00 pm

    Love this – sounds so yummy – love how low in calories it is too!

    Reply
  8. Ceri Sell says

    July 19, 2013 at 3:35 pm

    This sounds yummy!

    Reply
  9. Herbert Appleby says

    July 14, 2013 at 11:27 pm

    I sooo need to find ways of cooking noodles that don’t bust by belt size, my wife is Chinese, and you are perfect recipe source. Cheers!!

    Reply
  10. Maya Russell says

    July 9, 2013 at 6:50 am

    Very low in calories.Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply
  11. Linda Hobbis says

    July 6, 2013 at 9:20 am

    Love this one and a pretty sure you could use a Swiss Diamond Saute pan instead of a wok. Noodles are my easy snack when the kids are in bed and I don’t feel like cooking anything complicated.

    Reply
  12. Paul says

    June 18, 2013 at 1:43 pm

    This looks great, looking forward to trying it.

    Reply
  13. Joanne Baldwin says

    June 18, 2013 at 10:20 am

    This looks soooo good. I have been thinking about trying the no-cal noodles/rice/pasta for a while but been put off by mixed reports. And just found out about the 5:2 diet today just before stumbling on your recipes so it must be fate! I agree about possibly adding mushrooms – bit more bulk for very few extra calories.

    I’m off to check out all your other recipes now!

    Reply
  14. Arabella Bazley says

    June 15, 2013 at 6:42 am

    Sounds delicious, maybe a few shitake would add another dimension without too many calories? I have to admit to completely cheating of late on most of the healthy recipes and buying them ready prepared in little microwave pouches. Some work (mostly the spicy ones) and some don’t but if it means I can pop something in the microwave quicker than I could make a cheese sandwich at least I am winning!

    Reply
    • Fiona Maclean says

      June 15, 2013 at 8:34 am

      I think doing whatever works for you is best! I like cooking my own diet food, but sometimes I have ready meals too!

      Reply
  15. Herbert Appleby says

    June 8, 2013 at 11:50 pm

    I think this would work well with the Swiss Diamond Saute Pan.

    Reply
  16. ashleigh says

    June 4, 2013 at 8:44 pm

    This seems great for the amount of calories! Sounds and looks lovely!

    Reply
  17. Bianca Paton says

    June 4, 2013 at 12:15 pm

    Looks really yummy and one that I will want to try! Just 2 questions: How many calories for this recipe and does the recipe really only call for 1 teaspoon of chicken breast? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Fiona Maclean says

      June 4, 2013 at 2:11 pm

      ha, well spotted! no idea how that happened – I must have accidentally edited it! Calories, depends on the quantity of meat you use. It should be 100g of chicken and 150g of noodles, which is enough for 2 small portions or one large one. The calories are around 250 in total if you use skinless chicken breast!

      Reply
      • Fiona Maclean says

        June 4, 2013 at 2:14 pm

        ok corrected now, thanks for your help! The noodles only have 5 calories per 100g, so you can increase the quantity if you are hungry

        Reply
  18. Helen Moulden says

    June 3, 2013 at 11:27 am

    That looks so yummy! Love noodles so will be trying this out!

    Reply
  19. DANIELLE VEDMORE says

    May 27, 2013 at 1:35 am

    Looks lovely – I especially like the corriander flowers 🙂

    Reply
  20. Stevie Wilson says

    May 25, 2013 at 2:52 pm

    This looks awesome!!I can do this recipe! Like the idea of shrimp stirfry and how to use something other than sweet sour sauce . Have you tried using agave?

    Also I agree with Jess.. but why not write a cookbook for 5:2 recipes?
    Stevie

    Reply
  21. Jess @UsedYorkCity says

    May 25, 2013 at 1:16 pm

    I adore the personal touch of flowers you stuck in there…have you ever thought of opening your own 5:2 restaurant?! I think you’d be brilliant at it!

    Reply
  22. Choclette says

    May 24, 2013 at 5:27 pm

    I’ve still not tried these noodles and really must get onto it. Thanks for reminding me.

    Reply
    • Fiona Maclean says

      May 24, 2013 at 10:30 pm

      they are ok. Not a foodie ingredient, but they are VERY filling and (for me) no different to other noodles. I normally eat rice, but the shirataki rice is horrid, I think the noodles work because you can add them to a wok as you cook

      Reply
  23. James says

    May 24, 2013 at 11:27 am

    A diet recipe is exactly what I need right now. Great post. Thanks.

    Reply
  24. Hussy London Housewife says

    May 24, 2013 at 10:23 am

    I love the watercress in this recipe.
    Rather than using the usual spring onion, this is such a brilliant idea !

    Reply
  25. Lucy Mayer says

    May 24, 2013 at 9:46 am

    Ooo, yum, will be trying this one! 🙂

    Reply

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