I have one of Lorna Sass's vegetarian cookbooks called Complete Vegetarian Kitchen. I stole this from my sister a few years ago. Really, I prefer the term indefinite borrowing. And I am infamous for it. Well, when it comes to cookbooks. Think of it as a compliment. I just couldn't part with this book. She discusses all of the interesting grains you might ever want to try in your life: quionoa millet, teff, bulghur, amaranth, etc. I don't think I have made a recipe out of this book that I am not in love with; this broccoli and noodle dish was the first.
Alright, I have something I need to tell you. This book is not just vegetarian; it's vegan. Stop scrunching your nose at me! You eat vegan all the time, and don't even notice: chips and salsa, beans and rice, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, even Bacon Bits!!
Let's discuss the anatomy of this dish, shall we? Well, it has noodles, and broccoli... uh-huh. You can cook those in your sleep. But, I don't advise it. They might get all mushy and overcooked. Then there is our peanut sauce. Delicious: check. Protein: check. Flavour: double check! There is no added fat; just the fat from the nuts you use. I made cashew butter from cashews this time around, because I didn't have any peanut butter in the house, and it was a wonderful substitute!
Peanut or Cashew Sauce
Adapted from Complete Vegetarian Kitchen
1/2 cup of peanut butter or cashew butter
2 cloves garlic, fresh or roasted
2 inches fresh ginger
1/2 cup water
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoons Rice vinegar
1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
Dash Cayenne
Blend it all in the food processor with just eough water to get it moving.
2 cloves garlic, fresh or roasted
2 inches fresh ginger
1/2 cup water
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoons Rice vinegar
1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
Dash Cayenne
Blend it all in the food processor with just eough water to get it moving.
Broccoli and Noodles with Peanut or Cashew sauce
1/2 or 1 recipe peanut sauce
1-2 large heads of broccoli
8 ounces pasta (noodles, especially buckwheat soba work best, but any kind will do)
Cook pasta according to directions. Drain pasta, saving some water to cook the broccoli. Chop the broccoli into bite size peices. Toss in with the water and cover over medium heat, turning the broccoli over in the pan a few times to cook evenly. Cook for just a few minutes, but don't let it get mushy. Toss with the broccoli. Toss the sauce over the noodles and broccoli. You can use half the recipe, here, is what Lorna says, but I usually use the whole thing and double the broccoli in the dish. Happy Eats!
1-2 large heads of broccoli
8 ounces pasta (noodles, especially buckwheat soba work best, but any kind will do)
Cook pasta according to directions. Drain pasta, saving some water to cook the broccoli. Chop the broccoli into bite size peices. Toss in with the water and cover over medium heat, turning the broccoli over in the pan a few times to cook evenly. Cook for just a few minutes, but don't let it get mushy. Toss with the broccoli. Toss the sauce over the noodles and broccoli. You can use half the recipe, here, is what Lorna says, but I usually use the whole thing and double the broccoli in the dish. Happy Eats!
Yum! I have all these ingredients so it's on the list to make this week.
ReplyDeleteI might try that over the weekend. I finally quit that horrid coffee shop so I'll have real days off. I bought a bunch of raw nuts when I started that raw class and now I'm starting to slack on making healthy foods.
ReplyDeleteHOW'D YOU MAKE HOMEGROWN BROCCOLI?! Everything dies out here :-( I've comforted myself by planting different types of basil. Maybe rosemary should be next
I was eating the broccoli sprouts I grew one day and sprinkled a few on the ground. And it grew. It's california, what can I say.
ReplyDeleteSage and mint do well in Las Vegas. That is what I am going to plant when I get home. :)