Good evening! Hope that you all are having a wonderful start to your summer! We had a jam-packed day today that ended with the girls passing their Karate tests and becoming yellow belts while the baby cheered them on. It felt like a good and big first step in their martial arts journey.

I just turned 40 which feels surreal – I think mostly because it feels like my 20s didn’t really happen since I was in school and residency for most of them. Still as everyone tells me – 40 is the new 30! I am trying to figure out how to celebrate for myself and I think that the answer is going to be a haircut – something different maybe – but we will see. There has already been a lot of change in my life over the last year and I am not sure that I am ready for another big one – even if it is as simple as a haircut!

These satay noodles were a recent weeknight dinner – I had a lot of veggies and was trying to think of something to make that would be colorful and still fresh tasting. This really hit the spot – my kids said it was a do-over…

Ingredients: 

For the sauce:

1/2 tsp honey

2 tablespoons tahini

2 tablespoons peanut butter (smooth)

Splash of rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon coconut oil or olive oil

1/4 tsp ginger powder

1 can coconut milk

salt/pepper to taste

The noodles:

3-4 cups assorted vegetables (I used broccoli, red pepper and carrots)

16 ounces noodles (can use soba, buckwheat, etc. I used edamame noodles)

olive oil

garlic (1 clove, chopped)

chopped cilantro, chopped peanuts, toasted coconut, toasted pumpkin seeds (optional)

Instructions: 

1. First prepare the noodles. When cooked, rinse with cool water and set aside. Reserve some of the cooking water in case needed to thin the sauce.
2. In a deep frying pan, cook the garlic on low heat in 1 tablespoon of the oil, taking care not to burn the garlic.
3. Add the hardest vegetable first (carrot for me) and 1 tsp water. Cover and cook for 3-5 minutes until bright. Continue with the other vegetables, until all are cooked through. I did not cover and cook when I added the pepper and the broccoli. I just added the pepper first, cooked for 2 minutes, then added the broccoli and cooked for an additional 3-5 minutes.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients, saving the coconut milk for last. The mixture should be smooth. If it is too thick, add some of the past water, a couple of tablespoons at a time, until it is thin enough to toss with the noddles.
5. In a large bowl, mix together the noodles, sauce and vegetables. Top with the optional toppings – I used cilantro and toasted pumpkin seeds for ours.
6. Enjoy!

 

Love,

Pooja