Since the Chinese New Year celebration officially lasts 15 days, I figured we’d better keep the Asian food coming a little longer. I hope I’m not the only one out there that loves it! And one thing I really love about Asian food is Peanut Sauce. I feel like pretty much everything tastes better with a little peanut butter in it! So this recipe is great because it gives you that peanutty goodness, but also a lot of fresh veggies so you feel better about eating it. It comes from Cooking Light.
You’ll notice it’s a little carb heavy and protein deficient, so I like to chop and boil 2 packs of extra firm tofu to throw in there and balance it out. Please don’t tell me you hate tofu…it is so deliciously creamy, especially in this. I mean, didn’t we just establish that everything is better with a little peanut butter on it? Tofu is no exception to that. If you can’t bring yourself to do it, two pounds of cooked chicken is a fine substitution.
Just keep in mind this is already quite a lot of food, so when you add the meat to it, it makes a ton. If you aren’t feeding a pile of people, feel free to half it so you don’t go leftover crazy days on end.
Peanutty Noodles
- 2 carrots, peeled
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, divided
- 2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons rice or white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups red bell pepper strips
- 1 pound snow peas, trimmed
- 8 cups hot cooked linguine (about 1 pound uncooked)
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Preparation
Shave the carrots lengthwise into thin strips using a vegetable peeler, and set aside.
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the ginger and minced garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add chicken broth and the next 5 ingredients (broth through salt); stir until well-blended. Reduce heat, and simmer 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and keep warm.
Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers and snow peas; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat. Combine carrot, peanut butter mixture, bell pepper mixture, and linguine in a large bowl; toss well. Sprinkle with cilantro. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Live to Last 