I was a mess of elbows and ankles today as I ran around school, the grocery store, the bank, and my apartment desperately trying to tug loose ends together.

In the store, I deftly ran over my own foot with a grocery cart just minutes before dropping not one but two 12-packs of diet Sunkist.

People stared. I acted nonchalant: Whatever, don’t act like you’ve never thrown some soda around. Totally under control over here.

I’m now doing laundry, packing Byrd’s things, packing my things, fixing up lesson plans, adjusting my budget, wrestling with Squirt’s stupid filter, and trying to find a moment to shave my legs. Oh, and writing a blog post, naturally.

All of this craziness came about because tomorrow I’m waking up at 3 in the flippin’ morning, collecting my mountain of luggage, and heading to San Francisco (with flowers in my hair! Except not really.) The 3rd annual Foodbuzz Blogger Festival is this weekend, and I can’t wait to eat lots of good food and see some sweet people.

Well, I can totally wait for the airplane part, though. In fact, can we just delete that part altogether? I’m one of those hyperventilating-just-a-little, having-occasional-panic-attacks, making-weird-faces people you hope you don’t have to sit next to on the plane. It’s cool; as long as I take my pills I should be able to limit the panic to some periodic weeping in the window seat.

I kid, I kid. The pills actually knock me straight out. I may snore, but at least I won’t be convulsing?

Anyway, back to the current chaos. Even with all the hubbub tonight, I threw together a homemade dinner. I’ve been eating this quick, 15 minute pasta dish like it’s goin’ out of style since I saw it on Not Without Salt. It checks all of my most important boxes for a weekday meal: it’s low calorie, it’s almost effortless, it’s tasty, and it’s piled sky-high with fun toppings.

The peanut butter and soy sauce together form a hearty, savory sauce that’s saved from straight-up bitterness by a few glugs of white wine and some gorgeous carrot curls. I threw on some green onions, chopped peanuts, lime juice, and tons and tons of bean sprouts before mixing the whole dish together and digging in. I love that gorgeous salty soy sauce flavor in every bite.


crunch.

All right, my loves. On that crunchy, delicious note, I’m off to ‘Frisco (I know, don’t worry. I’ve already read all the blogs about how much locals hate it when tourists call it that) for a food adventure. Stay safe, and stay off airplanes, you crazies! If people were meant to fly, God would’ve given us jet engine biceps. Or helium-filled love handles. Or, like, wings or something.

P.S.: My apartment will be occupied and supervised while I’m gone. Probably by robots that throw themselves into bonfires so they can incinerate you in a fiery embrace. Nice try, thieves of the interwebz!

P.S. 2: AHHHHHHHH AIRPLANES.

Garlicky Peanut Noodles with Crunchy Vegetables


Recipe by: Adapted from Not Without Salt‘s recipe inspired by Nigel Slater
Yields: 4 servings

These noodles are bathed in a salty, garlicky peanut sauce before being topped with an array of crunchy toppings: carrot curls, bean sprouts, green onions, chopped peanuts, sesame seeds. A spritz of lime juice and a good toss finishes the dish in just 15 minutes. I love simple weekday meals.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons peanut butter (or tahini if you’d rather, but I haven’t tried it)*
1/3 cup soy sauce*
2 tablespoons rice wine (or dry white wine)
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons Sesame oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped shallot
4 servings’ worth of spaghetti (or other long noodle)
*You may need to adjust peanut butter and soy sauce to your taste preferences (more peanut butter for sweetness, more soy for saltiness)

Optional Toppings:
carrot curls (just take a vegetable peeler to a peeled carrot to get these)
bean sprouts (boil these for a few minutes and then rinse in cold water for safety)
chopped green onions
chopped peanuts
sesame seeds
squeeze of lime

Directions:
Boil salted water over medium-high heat and cook pasta to al dente according to package instructions. Drain, return to pan, and set aside.

In a food processor, combine the garlic and shallots and process until fine. Scrape down the sides of the processor bowl with a spatula and then add the peanut butter, soy sauce, wine, vinegar, and sesame oil and process until combined. Add this sauce to pasta in pan and toss to coat.

Serve pasta on plate topped with shredded carrots, green onions, chopped peanuts, sesame seeds, bean sprouts, and a slice of lime.

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by | 33 Comments

33 Comments on Quick Dinner: Garlicky Peanut Noodles with Crunchy Vegetables

  1. Maggie @ A Bitchin' Kitchen
    November 3, 2011 at 12:21 am (13 years ago)

    I’m so jealous that you’re going to the foodbuzz festival! My co-blogger and I bought tickets to go but had a change of plans. I hope you recap it here! Have a great time 🙂

    Reply
    • Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
      November 3, 2011 at 12:24 am (13 years ago)

      Aw, I’m sorry to miss meeting you guys! I’m sure reflections will crop up here after the weekend — it’s a really neat adventure for me to travel since I don’t get to do it too much. I’m really thankful!

      Reply
  2. Kat
    November 3, 2011 at 12:56 am (13 years ago)

    How much pasta do you use? And what kind? This looks delicious and I can’t wait to try it!

    Reply
    • Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
      November 3, 2011 at 3:18 am (13 years ago)

      Thanks, Kat — it’s 4 servings of the pasta of your choice (long noodles). I used spaghetti.

      Reply
  3. Kelly
    November 3, 2011 at 2:52 am (13 years ago)

    I think you can read my mind. Just this morning, I thought to myself that I needed to find recipes that used peanut butter – preferably non-dessert. I actually made a note to check Punch Fork.

    Enjoy ‘Frisco!

    Reply
  4. kat
    November 3, 2011 at 4:30 am (13 years ago)

    Oh yum!! I love these types of simple noodle dishes! Do you think it would taste good if used udon or ramen noodles?

    Reply
  5. daisy
    November 3, 2011 at 8:24 am (13 years ago)

    My kind of recipe – simple, not alot of ingredients, and it looks amazing! Must try.

    Reply
  6. Sandra And Kathy's Corners
    November 3, 2011 at 9:37 am (13 years ago)

    I love how you did your carrots for the dish! So pretty! Peanut noodles are delicious – my grandmother used to make a version of it for me when I was a kid, but it was always served cold, like a noodle salad. Yummmmm.

    Reply
    • Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
      November 5, 2011 at 9:11 pm (13 years ago)

      Thank you! Oh yum, cold peanut noodle salad sounds just delicious! Sweet memories, too 🙂 Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  7. Sprigs of Rosemary
    November 3, 2011 at 9:59 pm (13 years ago)

    I,too,am jealous that you’re heading to the Foodbuzz festival. But I love your hurry-up peanut pasta,

    Reply
    • Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
      November 5, 2011 at 9:09 pm (13 years ago)

      Wish you were here!! I’m drinking lots of Mexican coke and eating more food than anyone should ever eat… 😉 Thanks, Sprigs 🙂

      Reply
  8. Kaitlin
    November 6, 2011 at 12:48 pm (13 years ago)

    Yum! This sounds fabulous! I hope you’re having a great trip. I’m totally jealous!

    Reply
    • Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
      November 7, 2011 at 12:19 pm (13 years ago)

      Thanks, Kaitlin! I so wish you’d gotten to come along!! We’d have had a blast 😉

      Reply
  9. DessertForTwo
    November 7, 2011 at 6:47 pm (13 years ago)

    You crack me up!

    It was SOOO good talking to you again this weekend! Made my heart grow even more for you 🙂

    Reply
  10. Kayla @ Sheriff of the Kitchen
    November 9, 2011 at 1:01 am (13 years ago)

    yummy! This would be a great meal for some of my veggie friends. Did you use whole wheat or regular pasta? I once tried a similar pasta dish with whole wheat and it sucked up all the sauce so I was just curious what you used? I love the bit about to soda…

    Reply
    • Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
      November 9, 2011 at 2:07 am (13 years ago)

      Thanks, Kayla! I used regular pasta — actually Ronzoni Smart Pasta to be precise. It didn’t suck the sauce up, and I just tossed periodically as I ate to “resauce” things. Yum! 🙂

      Reply
  11. Beth
    November 9, 2011 at 1:53 pm (13 years ago)

    Great to meet you this weekend, Julie! Hope to have more time to chat at next year’s Festival!

    Reply
    • Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
      November 9, 2011 at 1:58 pm (13 years ago)

      Thanks, Beth! Great to see you too! Had so much fun at the festival — hope to schlep back across the country next year as well 😉

      Reply
  12. Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella
    November 9, 2011 at 9:20 pm (13 years ago)

    Enjoy San Francisco Julie! And hehe your grocery trip sounds like a typical trip for me-I have definitely run over my foot more than once 😛

    Reply
  13. nipponnin
    November 10, 2011 at 2:40 am (13 years ago)

    Julie, It was nice meeting you. I’m so glad you made home safely. It was really fun talking to you at FoodBuzz.. You’re so charming.
    Wow! Those photos are gorgeous!

    Reply
    • Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
      November 10, 2011 at 7:40 am (13 years ago)

      Thank you! It was so great to meet you as well — you all are so fun to hang out with! I already love reading your blog 🙂 Hope to see you again before too long!

      Reply
  14. betty
    November 14, 2011 at 8:16 pm (13 years ago)

    this looks so good id love this for dinner tonight!

    Reply
  15. Shannon
    November 16, 2011 at 10:15 am (13 years ago)

    Are you kidding me? This is insanely gorgeous!

    Reply
  16. Brooke
    November 21, 2011 at 4:54 pm (13 years ago)

    I do believe I just figured out what I am having for dinner! And don’t worry about the grocery store soda flinging contest you had with yourself, I’ve been there MANY times. Occasionally resulting in some sort of middle aisle fixture wanting to tango as well.

    Reply

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