Peanut Noodle Salad
Peanut Noodle 'Salad' - Vegan
Back in Chicago my dear friend Laura and I got together for a last minute dinner get together. It was one of those nights where we just both grabbed whatever we had in our fridge and put a little hodge-podge dinner together while we were catching up with each other.
I don't even remember what I brought to the table, but I was so in love with the dish that Laura brought that I hounded her until she sent me the recipe. This has become one of my go-to recipes for picnics and pot-lucks when I don't have a way to keep my dish warm. I have never once been able to keep this in my house long enough for leftovers.
In the directions Laura said, "You will make me proud, I cannot have my name on something and have you stink it up.' She was mostly kidding, but also not. The great thing about this recipe is that you really can't stink it up. It is very simple to put together and you can make substitutions if you don't have all the ingredients on hand.
Ingredients:
Dressing: 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter 1/4 cup low sodium tamari 1/3 cup warm water 1 tablespoon chopped peeled fresh ginger - the frozen cubes work fine too 1 medium garlic clove, chopped- same here the frozen cubes work as well 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar 1 1/2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil 1 tablespoon honey 1 teaspoon chili paste of your choice
For noodles 3/4 lb dried soba nooodles (dried linguine fine or spaghetti will work in a pinch) 4 scallions, thinly sliced 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/8-inch-thick strips Half a seedless cucumber, thinly sliced  (cucumbers make me burp eww, so i use zucchini instead) 3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
(tofu can be added to this recipe as well, but why mess up perfection)
Directions:
1. Puree dressing ingredients in a blender until smooth, about 2 minutes, then transfer to a large bowl.
2. Cook pasta in a pot of boiling salted water until tender. Drain in a colander, then rinse well under cold water, cool the noods completely. (Follow directions on package for cooking times)
3. Add pasta, scallions, bell peppers, and cucumber to dressing, tossing to combine. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and serve immediately.
