Quick Fix

When you're pressed for time, and the holiday shopping season seems to be taking over your life (you know it's coming soon) here's a quick little ditty that you can put into your weekly repertoire and make in no time at all. It's my version of Cold Asian Noodles with Peanut Sauce. I sometimes eat this dish at night in a big bowl when I'm starving and really want to chow down some carbs, but mostly I wrap a small amount of noodles in lettuce leaves and pack them for travel when I'm on the go in my car. This is one of my go-to-meals when my fridge is almost empty and time is short. I think you'll like this noodle dish because it tastes just like the take-out version.

Asian Inspired Peanut Noodles

4 oz linguini or spaghetti cooked al dente
1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
3 oz snow peas
1/2 cup scallion sliced 1/4 inch

Peanut Dressing
3 cloves garlic minced
2 tsp grated fresh peeled ginger
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 T toasted sesame oil
1 T hot sesame oil
1 tsp sugar

Garnish
2 T chopped peanuts (I like the dry roasted)
Cilantro- however much you like- I like about 1/2 cup chopped, or whole leaves

Cook Pasta according to package directions. About one minute before pasta is scheduled to be done add snow peas. Cook another minute. Drain pasta and peas and rinse with cold water. Add red pepper and scallions to cooled pasta mixture.


In separate bowl add all ingredients for the dressing. Whisk dressing ingredients together and pour over pasta mixture. Toss and place pasta mixture on lettuce leaves if you like, or serve in soup bowls and garnish with crushed peanuts and cilantro.

Here's the re-mix: This one's all about canned items. Make this as vegetable laden and easy as you can by adding canned Chinese mushrooms and sliced baby corn. My cupboard is usually stocked with all sorts of Asian vegetables, but this week I was out of luck. Another addition for this kind of dish is canned bean sprouts. At first I was hesitant about using them (because they were canned and not fresh), but trust me, they are pretty darn fabulous and help you stretch that dollar.