Peanut Lime Noodles

Okay, I have to ask!  Did you guys watch, "The Bachelor Women Tell All?"  OMG, talk about DRAMA!  If you haven't watched it, you should.  I felt so bad for Michelle, poor thing.  I cannot wait for the Season Finale next week and I know who is gonna win because I've been reading the spoilers.  OMG, it's gonna be so great!  Can't wait.

Anyway, today I made Peanut Lime Noodles which was mostly adapted by Ellie Krieger.  This recipe sort of reminded of Pad Thai Noodles because of the strong peanut flavor, however these noodles were still quite different.  

Ellie's recipe suggested steaming the vegetables, but I prefer my veggies roasted.  In addition, I added bell peppers to make this dish more hearty, and omitted the use of unsalted peanuts.  Another tip, the amount of sauce suggested in the original recipe isn't enough, I almost doubled the sauce portion which was enough for 1 pound of linguine/spaghetti.  These noodles turned out fantastic with the spiciness from the ginger & pepper flakes, the tanginess from the lime, the sweetness from the brown sugar, and the creaminess from the peanut butter.  LOVED IT and I hope you will too.  Let me know!  🙂

TIP: If you use a Peanut Butter brand that contains sugar or sweeteners, I strongly suggest holding off on the brown sugar.  Make the sauce and try it without brown sugar and add it as needed.  I used Whole Foods Peanut Butter (Organic) which doesn't contain any sugar.

NUTRITION: Broccoli adds tons of nutrition value... Fiber, Folic Acid, and Vitamins A, C, and K.  Peanut Butter is high in fat and should be eaten in moderation, however it is a good source of Fiber, Protein, Folic Acid, and Vitamin E.  Bell Peppers are a great source of Vitamins A, B6, and C.  Tomatoes are a good source of Vitamins A and C.  Snow Peas are a great source of Vitamins A, C, B1, and B2, with a good amount of fiber and protein.  Whole Grain Linguine adds fiber and protein to these noodles.

INGREDIENTS:

For the Roasted Veggies:

• Broccoli - 2 bunches (cut into florets)
• Red Bell Pepper - 1 (sliced)
• Green Bell Pepper - 1 (sliced)
• Snow peas - 2 handfuls 
• Sesame Oil - 2 tbsp
• Garlic Powder - 1 tsp
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Black Pepper - ½ teaspoon

For the Noodles:

• Pot of Water - ⅔s full to boil the pasta
• Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Whole Grain Linguine - 1 pound box
• Olive Oil - 1 teaspoon (for the water)
• salt to taste (for the water)

For the Sauce: 

• Whole Foods 365 Everyday Value Creamy Peanut Butter (Organic) - ¾ cup
• La Choy Lite Soy Sauce - ½ cup
• Water - ¼ cup + 2 tbsp
• Rice Vinegar - ¼ cup
• Fresh Lime Juice - 2 limes (about 4 tbsp)
• Scallions - 1 bunch (sliced into 1 inch pieces)
• Ginger - 2 inch piece (grated)
• Brown Sugar - ¼ cup (if your Peanut Butter contains sugars/sweeteners, hold off on adding brown sugar until you have made the sauce. Taste it, and add sugar as needed.
• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes - 2 teaspoon (you can use less if you can't handle heat) 

DIRECTIONS:
1. Start by preheating the oven to 425 degrees.

2. Chop the veggies.

3. Place the veggies in a bowl, add oil, and toss.

4. Pour the veggies into a pyrex-type baking dish.

5. Add garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.  Toss.

6. Once the oven is preheated, place the baking tray into the oven for 20 minutes.

7. Boil a pot of water on high heat.  Cover with a lid.

8. In the meantime, make the sauce.  Chop the scallions into 1 inch pieces.  

9. Add all the sauce ingredients to a food processor or blender - peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice, scallions, ginger, brown sugar, and crushed red pepper flakes.  

10. Blend.  LOVE THIS PART!  🙂  This is the best kitchen gadget, it's worth the investment.

11. Taste Test.  I preferred mine more spicy so I added more crushed red pepper. 

12. Check on the pasta water.  Season with salt and 1 teaspoon of olive oil to prevent sticking.  Add the noodles.  Stir.  Cook until Al Dente, or about 8 minutes. 

13. Now check on the roasted veggies.  If done, remove from the oven.  YUM!  I could eat them like that, I love oven-roasted veggies with tons of garlic.  

14. Check to see if the pasta is Al Dente, once done...

15. Drain.

16. Pour the peanut lime sauce.  

17. Add all the roasted veggies to the noodles.

18. Toss, toss, and toss!  Check for salt, but I doubt you will need it since we used soy sauce.

19. Pour into a serving bowl.

20. Drool!  Chew!  Swallow!  It's pretty darn filling due to the high amounts of protein in the peanut butter!