Since I kicked off the work week sharing some survival tips to help keep your health and fitness routine somewhat intact through the holiday party season, I thought I’d wrap things up by telling you about a newer staple in my pantry that’s become even more of a godsend at this time of year.

The item I’m talking about is a white plastic package containing NoOodle™ Noodles. My mom introduced me to these zero-calorie, zero-carb “noodles” that are also free of fat, gluten or soy. I admit, when she gave me my first couple of packages, I was super skeptical. I thought, how could a no-calorie noodle be any good? Well, if I wasn’t pleasantly surprised, I wouldn’t be writing about this wonder food.

According to the product’s website: “NoOodle™ Noodles are made from high-fiber glucomannan flour, which derives from the roots of the Asian Konjac Plant. Glucomannan flour is the same key ingredient used to make Japanese noodles, or NoOodle™. Like Japanese noodles, NoOodle™ have zero calories because they are made of glucomannan (soluble dietary fiber) and water, which are both calorie-free ingredients.”

Anyone who knows me will tell you I’m definitely not a cook. So, how do I use  NoOodles in my dinner “recipes”? My favorite way to use them is to add a package to grilled chicken or fish and spinach. The key is to strain the NoOodles, rinse them well and then add them to your meal once everything is prepped and seasoned.

For me, that means grilling the chicken or fish, slicing it up and adding it to the cooked spinach or whatever veggie I’ve nuked that night. Then, I’ll add some olive oil, very little sea salt and a few other spices. Finally, I toss in the strained NoOodles and mix everything together. NoOodles take on the flavor of whatever you add them to. Since they also have a high fiber content, I end up feeling comfortably full without any of the guilt of bulking up with high-calorie alternatives.

The NoOodles website has tons more information about the product as well as oodles of recipe ideas for those who are much more creative in the kitchen. (You can also order them right from the website.) If there are other NoOodles lovers out there, or if you try them after reading this post, I’d love to hear what you think!

I’m not saying a plate of NoOodles is ever going to take the place of my favorite pasta dish made by my mom or at one of my favorite Italian restaurants. What I do love about this zero-guilt item is that it allows me to bulk up my stay-at-home dinner nights while keeping me on track with my plans to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!