Spring is officially here. It may have snowed this afternoon, but my calendar has let me know winter is behind us. With the changing of seasons, I’ve decided to add a new element to my Sunday cooking routine.
Salads!
My favorite meals can be enjoyed from one bowl. The right salad can make enough leftovers for weekday lunches. Salads seem like the perfect complement to my love affair with soup on a Sunday evening.
We kicked off this new family tradition with a winner. This one is seriously so good I know it will become a weekly craving.
Zucchini Noodles in a Thai Peanut Sauce
(I found the recipe on Eating Bird Food)
Ingredients
1 teaspoon coconut oil
2 medium sized zucchinis, to make zucchini noodles
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1½ Tablespoons fresh ginger root, minced
½ cup red onion, chopped
1 carrot, sliced into small strips using a vegetable peeler
½-3/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup shelled edamame, cooked
2 Tablespoons natural creamy peanut butter
½ of a lime, juiced
1-2 Tablespoons water (for thinning out sauce)
1 teaspoon chili paste (I forgot to buy this so I just used chili powder)
sea salt, to taste
2 Tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
2 Tablespoons chopped peanuts (optional)
Instructions:
Use a mandoline or hand-held peeler to make zucchini noodles. Set aside. (This
Mandoline V-Slicer works great.)
In a large skillet, heat coconut oil and sauté the garlic, ginger and red onion. Once onion is translucent and fragrant, stir in the red bell pepper, carrot slices and cooked edamame. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add a pinch of sea salt to the mixture, then add the lime juice, peanut butter, chili paste and a little water to thin out the sauce.
Place the zucchini noodles into the skillet and stir them around quite a bit so that the sauce coats them. Cook in sauce for about 8-10 minutes.
Remove from heat, plate and top with fresh basil and chopped peanuts.
We paired the salad with grilled salmon that had been marinated in Trader Joe’s Island Soyaki. It was the perfect pairing.
Enjoy!
Kristy Maute 