Veggie Noodles with Thai Peanut Sauce

I realize I may be a bit behind the times here for anyone who is more experienced in the low-carb thing, but I am recently so excited about the idea of veggie pasta! For a while I've known about spaghetti squash as a good pasta substitute, but I've also discovered that there are a ton more options out there for substituting veggies instead of high-carb pastas and rice. Using a julienne peeler (or if you have time and patience you can do this with a knife) you simply thin slice any number of veggies to create easy to eat, super healthy carb alternatives. At first I wondered if they would need to be cooked somehow to make them soft and flexible enough to eat. You probably could do this with some recipes, such as with a hot pasta dish, but the thin sliced vegetables are just great uncooked with any number of dressings or sauces. (When I served this to my husband he was convinced that I had mixed in the veggie pasta with real pasta - I had to convince him that it was actually all vegetables!) My mind is reeling with the possibilities, and I can promise you will be seeing more of this from me in the weeks to come!

With this recipe, I used a favorite Thai peanut sauce that we've traditionally used as a pasta salad sauce. It's full of flavor, with just enough spice and tang, and the peanut butter makes it creamy and filling. For an even heartier meal with more protein, you could serve this salad topped with a fish fillet, or mix in some tune or shredded chicken.

A couple of tips about making the noodles ... Like I said, a julienne peeler  seems to be the best way to go for making these quickly and simply (or there are also more fancy contraptions out there that I haven't yet invested in, but that I may need to start putting on my wish list!), but you could also get a similar result using a knife. If using a julienne peeler, watch out because man, those things are sharp! Also, for the zucchini, I cut my slices starting with the peel until I got down to the seedy part in the center. The centers didn't work as well to create the long slices, though. Don't throw them out, though! I saved the centers and then used them for baking (as you'll see in an upcoming Chocolate Zucchini Banana Bread!).

Thai Veggie Noodles
4 SERVINGS 
PREP: 25 minutes           COOK: 0 minutes            READY IN: 25 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

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•  For the sauce:
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 3 teaspoons soy sauce
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• For the "noodles:"
•  4-6 medium zucchini
• 3-4 medium carrots
• Toppings: peanuts, diced green onions, minced cilantro

DIRECTIONS

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1. In a small bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients until they are smooth and well combined.
2. To make the noodles, using a julienne peeler, peel off long strips of the zucchini and carrots resembling long pasta. (See the head notes for tips.)
3. Combine the zucchini and carrots in a large bowl. Toss with the peanut sauce right before serving. Top with crushed peanuts, green onions, and cilantro.

NUTRITION FACTS

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    2 cup serving    322 calories   17.9 g fat   31.9 g carbs    14.6 g protein    16 g sugar   

Enjoy!

Super Simple Crock Pot Thai Chicken and Coconut Rice

Ever since the holidays, we have been battling one sickness after another. Add to that the fact that my husband has been away for several days at a time on trips, and it means that I have been seriously struggling to get a decent dinner on the table at all. I. just. don't. feel. like. cooking.

This recipe, however, is helping me get out of my cooking funk. It was so easy. So delicious. And so full of nutritious yumminess … I'm feeling new inspiration. The prep for the chicken here seriously consists of throwing three (count them, 3!) ingredients into a crockpot, letting it sit for hours until you're ready to cook up the rice, mix in just a couple more things to liven up the flavor, and then serve. I kid you not, it's pure brilliance on a plate!

The original inspiration for this recipe called for the meat to be served in whole pieces over white rice. My kids do better when the meat is shredded down, plus that opened up the chance to add in some veggies by mixing in onion and red peppers. To further simplify, I opted for a super simple method with the coconut rice, and just cooked the rice as usual in the rice cooker, then mixed in coconut milk and beans with the cooked rice. It gave great flavor to the rice, without adding any complexity to cooking it.

Crock Pot Thai Chicken and Coconut Rice
4 SERVINGS 
PREP: 15 minutes           COOK: 3-6 hours in the crockpot            READY IN: 3 hours, 15 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

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• 1 can lite coconut milk, divided
• 1/2 cup store-bought peanut sauce (Trader Joe's has a good spicy peanut vinaigrette or peanut satay sauce that both work well, but you should be able to find something similar in the Asian section of any market)
• 2-3 chicken breast pieces (about 3/4-1 pound total)
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 1 cup brown rice
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can red (kidney) beans
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, optional
• salt and pepper to taste
• diced green onions, cilantro, and peanuts for garnish

DIRECTIONS

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1. In a medium-sized crock pot, place the chicken topped with 1 cup coconut milk and 3/4 cup peanut sauce. Cook on low for 6 hours, or high for 3 hours. 
2. When the chicken is cooked and tender, remove from the crock pot and shred with a fork. Add back into the crock pot, along with the diced onion and red pepper. Let simmer until the rice is ready.
3. About 45-60 minutes before eating, cook the brown rice with 2 cups water in a rice cooker or over the stove top. When the rice is cooked, add in the remaining coconut milk and beans, as well as the ginger, if desired. (Season with additional salt, if needed.)
4. Serve the chicken over rice, topped with diced green onion, cilantro, and peanuts. 

NUTRITION FACTS

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    Serving size: approx. 1 cup rice with 3/4 cup chicken    550 calories   12.5 g fat   61.8 g carbs    47.9 g protein    6.2 g sugar   

Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Iowa Girl Eats.