I have a stuffed up nose. I also left work this evening with a long list of gift buying to do. The combination of the two didn't really make me want to hop into the kitchen to make something fabulous with subtle overtones because A) the gift buying involves going to the next coutny to get to Home Depot, Target, and a Borders; and B) I can barely taste anything. And really the idea of going to the grocery store tonight was about as enticing as walking down Main St. naked.
It just wasn't going to happen.
So I came home and looked in the pantry and the fridge and I looked at a couple recipes and I Iron Cheffed it. I'm so ridiculously proud of myself I can't even tell you. Remember my OCD tendencies? Need I point out that the cashier at Borders asked me if I was trying to short change her because I had to give her the closest to exact change I had and all my bills had to be facing in the same direction? (She was just teasing, I was obviously flustered by a $20 bill that was out of whack.) SO, for me to not follow a recipe is HUGE! And it turned out pretty tasty. Woooo! Yay me!
OK enough of that. I would tell you what the Brain thinks of it, but he went to bed early because apparently his wife has a unbelievably loud, wake the dead, sort of snoring problem when she has a stuffy nose and she kept him up all night. What can I say, I take after my mother. My poor poor husband!
Basically I made a sort of vegetarian cold pseudo Asian noodle dish. I'll call it Spicy Peanut Noodles with Vegetables. I am so glad there's leftovers. I think it's crazy good and spicy enough that it unstuffs my nose! And I like to think it's healthy too. Well sort of. The fat content is probably a little on the high side with the peanut butter and all, but it's probably good fats. And I think adding even more vegetables would be great, but I was working with what I had on hand. Something like water chestnuts would be awesome in it, but I don't keep those in the pantry. Feel free to take it, and make it yours.
Spicy Peanut Noodles with Vegetables
1 pound whole wheat spaghetti
2 large carrots, peeled and diced small
1 large red bell pepper cut into matchsticks
1 12oz bag frozen brocolli cuts, thawed and brought to room temperature
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
6 Tbsp smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup low salt chicken broth
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
3 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp sesame oil
3/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (about)
1/2 cup peanuts (dry roasted)
Combine the peanut butter, broth, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, ground ginger and cayenne pepper. Heat in the microwave for about 30 seconds or until the peanut butter whisks easily and you can really mix up the dressing. Set the dressing aside and let cool.
Cook the pasta until it is just tender. Drain the pasta and rinse for several minutes in cold water so that it's room temperature or a little chilled. Transfer the pasta to a big bowl. Add the chopped red bell pepper, carrots, cilantro and the dressing. Toss to coat. Sprinkle individual servings with peanuts.
It just wasn't going to happen.
So I came home and looked in the pantry and the fridge and I looked at a couple recipes and I Iron Cheffed it. I'm so ridiculously proud of myself I can't even tell you. Remember my OCD tendencies? Need I point out that the cashier at Borders asked me if I was trying to short change her because I had to give her the closest to exact change I had and all my bills had to be facing in the same direction? (She was just teasing, I was obviously flustered by a $20 bill that was out of whack.) SO, for me to not follow a recipe is HUGE! And it turned out pretty tasty. Woooo! Yay me!
OK enough of that. I would tell you what the Brain thinks of it, but he went to bed early because apparently his wife has a unbelievably loud, wake the dead, sort of snoring problem when she has a stuffy nose and she kept him up all night. What can I say, I take after my mother. My poor poor husband!
Basically I made a sort of vegetarian cold pseudo Asian noodle dish. I'll call it Spicy Peanut Noodles with Vegetables. I am so glad there's leftovers. I think it's crazy good and spicy enough that it unstuffs my nose! And I like to think it's healthy too. Well sort of. The fat content is probably a little on the high side with the peanut butter and all, but it's probably good fats. And I think adding even more vegetables would be great, but I was working with what I had on hand. Something like water chestnuts would be awesome in it, but I don't keep those in the pantry. Feel free to take it, and make it yours.
Spicy Peanut Noodles with Vegetables
1 pound whole wheat spaghetti
2 large carrots, peeled and diced small
1 large red bell pepper cut into matchsticks
1 12oz bag frozen brocolli cuts, thawed and brought to room temperature
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
6 Tbsp smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup low salt chicken broth
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
3 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp sesame oil
3/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (about)
1/2 cup peanuts (dry roasted)
Combine the peanut butter, broth, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, ground ginger and cayenne pepper. Heat in the microwave for about 30 seconds or until the peanut butter whisks easily and you can really mix up the dressing. Set the dressing aside and let cool.
Cook the pasta until it is just tender. Drain the pasta and rinse for several minutes in cold water so that it's room temperature or a little chilled. Transfer the pasta to a big bowl. Add the chopped red bell pepper, carrots, cilantro and the dressing. Toss to coat. Sprinkle individual servings with peanuts.
You are way better than I am! We've eaten out every day this week...
ReplyDeleteDeborah- Most of the time I blogged about cookies we ate either spaghetti or frozen pizza. It was a red letter night that I cooked dinner!
ReplyDelete