Spicy Peanut Chicken Pasta

I’m such a sucker for peanut sauce – there’s just something about it that’s irresistible to my taste buds. So you can imagine how much I loved this Asian pasta dish with a spicy peanut sauce. The variety of vegetables gives it vibrant color and makes you feel a little healthier eating this tasty dish.

Quick tip: you can add the chopped vegetables to the cooking pasta for about 5 minutes to slightly cook them while still leaving a bit of crunch. Mix in the sauce, top with chopped cilantro, and you have a delicious meal after my own heart.

Spicy Peanut Chicken Pasta

Ingredients:
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 cup shredded or julienne carrots
1 cup shredded zucchini
1 head of broccoli, cut into small pieces
1 cup chopped or shredded cooked chicken breast (2-3 breasts)
8 oz cooked whole grain linguine

For the dressing:
5 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp water
3 Tbsp peanut butter
2 Tbsp sesame or canola oil
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 small piece of fresh ginger, peeled and cut into small pieces
1/2 Tbsp honey
1 clove garlic
1 tsp brown sugar
1/3 cup peanuts
Sriracha sauce (a few dashes – or more to your taste)

Cilantro for garnish

Directions:
Puree all of the dressing ingredients (except peanuts) in a food processor until smooth and creamy.  Add the peanuts last and process until just finely chopped.

Cook the pasta and add the vegetables into the water for the last 5 minutes to soften them a bit. Drain and return to the pot. Add the dressing and toss to coat. Add more sriracha if you want a spicier taste. Top individual servings with fresh cilantro and enjoy!

Source: Slightly adapted from Pinch of Yum

Ginger Beef Stir Fry

When I lived on campus my first two years of college, the dining hall at my dorm served some tasty dinners. About once a week, they had “Stir Fry Night” where you got to pick the meat, veggies, and sauce you wanted and it was cooked for you personally. This dish made me reminisce about those meals and good times before entering the real world.

The only thing I’d change when making this again is to make more sauce – it’s SO delicious but I wanted more! The fresh ginger adds a fabulous boost to the flavors. And, now I really really want to buy a wok

Ginger Beef Stir Fry

Ingredients:
1 tsp cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
3 Tbsp plum sauce
1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 lb boneless sirloin steak, cut into thin strips
1 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin
1 and 1/2 cups broccoli florets
1 carrot, peeled and julienned
1 clove garlic, minced
3 Tbsp salted peanuts, chopped
Rice, for serving

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water; whisk until smooth.  Stir in the plum sauce, ginger, soy sauce and red pepper flakes.  Set aside.

In a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat, cook the steak strips until no longer pink.  Remove to a plate and set aside, draining the excess fat from the skillet if necessary.  Add the oil to the pan and heat through.  Add the red pepper, broccoli and carrot pieces to the skillet and stir fry until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.  Mix in the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Return the steak pieces to the pan.  Add the sauce to the pan, stirring well to coat everything.  Cook until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes more.  Stir in the peanuts. Serve the warm stir fry over rice.

Source: Slightly adapted from Annie’s Eats