Pasta Express

We love noodles. We love vegetables. Simple math told us that we were really going to love Hungryroot’s organic, fresh-cut vegetable noodles.

We were right.

Hungryroot is the very tasty brainchild of Ben McKean, Greg Struck and Franklin Becker that just launched in New York and several other cities east of the Mississippi.

Each convenient pack of spiralized vegetable noodles can go from package to plate in seven minutes or less. Even better: Every Hungryroot meal is under 500 calories, non-GMO and gluten-, antibiotic- and hormone-free. To keep with the simple feel, each dish is $10, with the option to add free-range grilled chicken for an additional $2. Shipping is free for every order over $40 and you don’t need to be home to receive the delivery thanks to cold gel packs and insulated Mylar liners. Typically, Hungryroot receives the vegetables from the farm the same day the meals are shipped out and they are guaranteed to stay fresh for 10 days in the refrigerator. The sauce and the additions (like the nuts or cheese) all come in separate recyclable containers, so you can customize your meal to your liking.

Chef Becker (of The Little Beet fame) dreamed up the six delicious options. Our favorites were the zucchini noodles with tomatoes and Parmesan and a gremolata of basil, pine nuts and raisins, and sweet potato noodles with a creamy vegan cashew alfredo sauce. Other options include beet noodles with a sesame sauce and for pad thai lovers, carrot noodles paired up with a tangy Sriracha peanut sauce.

Founder Ben McKean told us that only 6 percent of the population eat the recommended daily amount of vegetables (yikes!). He says, “I think part of that has to do with an overall perception that vegetables are less-than-satisfying and sometimes intimidating to prepare. We’re hoping to change that perception by filling a void in fast and healthy home cooked meals.”

With Hungryroot, there’s no reason to not have vegetables in the smack-dab center of your plate.

Spread the word: Hungryroot plans to expand to nationwide shipping by the end of 2015.