Hot and Spicy Peanut Sauce

Sometimes I want hot pasta, and when I do, I make up a big bowl of gluten-free black bean spaghetti and slather it with a tasty sauce.  This Hot and Spicy Peanut Sauce is very flavorful, and when you read the ingredients, it may sound like an odd combination. But it is truly delcious and I have enjoyed it a couple of times now.  It is a mixture of some of my favorites!

If you are a fan of hot sauces, then go ahead and use more sriracha! I kept it to 1/2 teaspoon but you might like more.... and my shredded cheese is a blend of 3 different cheeses that I purchase at Costco but I think that shredded parmesan or asagio would work nicely too. Just gives it a bit of a salty tang. I use a gluten-free soy sauce called tamari... use your own favorite.

I am going to make it again and have it with lightly sauted zoodles...

If you give it a try, I would love to know what you think!

Hot and Spicy Peanut Sauce
Makes 1 serving

• 4 Tbs PB2
• 1 Tbs water
• 2 Tbs tamari
• 1 clove garlic, peeled, smashed, and minced
• 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
• 1/2 tsp sriracha
• 1 green onion, cut into 1/2 inch lengths
• 1/3 cup shredded cheese

1. Mix the PB2 with water and tamari till smooth.
2. Stir in the garlic, ginger, and sriracha and mix well.
3. Pour over the top of your noodles.
4. Top with onion slices and cheese shreds.

Per serving, sauce only.

Weight Watchers P+ = 5.

Calories 167; Protein 19g; Carbohydrate 9g; Fat 8g; Fibre 3g.

Are you a fan of hot and spicy?

Black Bean Noodles with Thai Peanut Sauce

When I first gave up gluten a couple of years ago and stopped eating wheat-based pasta, I found brown rice pasta… and also occasionally enjoyed the white rice pasta favored by The Captain’s sister.  I never cared for either cold though, in pasta salads.

Then I decided to try a Paleo diet for a few months, and started using spaghetti squash in place of noodles. The firm strands of the baked spaghetti squash make a nice replacement for noodles in many dishes, particularly with tomato-based sauces.  But like the rice pastas, I just didn’t care for it cold at all.

Then I got a spiralizer and discovered zucchini noodles.  Zoodles quickly became my pasta of choice and I love them with both hot and cold sauces.  But lately, just when harvest here should be at its peak… sadly, the zukes are not very nice at all.  They are either too large and subsequently quite tasteless, or way too small to put through the spiralizer to make zoodles.

Lucky for me that I had come across and purchased this Organic Black Bean spaghetti at Costco a few weeks ago.  It has a high protein content 23g per serving, is gluten-free and quite tasty.  And for the low-carbers out there, it has only 5 net carbs per serving too…. and that all works out to 3 Points Plus if you are a Weight Watcher.  Oh yeah... it is also vegan and kosher.

I admit, the color of the cooked noodles does tend to put me off a bit, but the texture and the taste is very good.   They are good hot or cold.  And they only take 6 minutes to cook… I wish I had discovered them while we still lived on the sailboat.

The first time I tried them I ate them hot with a tomato and ground beef sauce.  Delicious.  Filling with great staying power.

And then I decided to try them cold.  And because The Captain would much rather have plain old wheat pasta, I made a single serving, just for me.

I cooked the 50g suggested amount for a single serving in boiling water for about 7 minutes.  Then I drained the noodles in a colander and held it under the cold water tap for a couple of minutes to cool the noodles as quickly as I could. I wanted to eat my lunch right away… if I had had more time, I would have left them in the fridge for a while to chill even more.

I made up a sauce with some PB2 and some gluten-free soy sauce (tamari) and then added some unflavored North Coast Naturals whey protein powder… to thicken my sauce and also give it a nutritional punch.  A few slices of red pepper and green onions and I was good to go… and gobble it all up! 

Next time I might add a bit of minced fresh garlic, and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.  I am sure any unflavored protein powder would work, too.  If you used a pea or rice protein instead of whey you could make it vegan.  A few chopped peanuts or cashews would make it company-worthy!  And of course you could serve this quick sauce over any cold pasta, or zoodles.

Black Bean Noodles with Thai Peanut Sauce

Makes 1 serving

• 2 Tbs PB2
• 1 Tbs water
• 1 Tbs tamari
• 1/2 scoop NCN unflavored whey protein powder
• 1/3 medium red pepper
• 2 green onions
• 1 serving noodles of choice, prepared and chilled
• salt and pepper to season

1. Mix the PB2 and water in a small bowl until creamy.
2. Add the tamari (soy sauce) and blend well.  Set aside.
3. Slice the red pepper into thin strips.
4. Cut the green onions into short lengths.
5. Place the noodles in a serving bowl.
6. Pour the sauce over the noodles and then arrange the veggies over the top.
7. Serve with salt and pepper to season.

Per serving, sauce and veggies only.

Weight Watchers P+ = 3.

Calories 129; Protein 20g; Carbohydrate 11g; Fat 2 g; Fibre 4g.

50 g is a very generous serving. You may be happy with less. Yup, the color is not very appetizing at all.

Prep your veggies and make the sauce.

Assemble and dig in!

Printable Recipe

Have you tried black bean noodles?

Are you a fan of PB2?

Do you like to punch up your dishes with added protein/protein powder?

Bacon and Tomato Sauce

Doesn’t everything just taste better with bacon on it?
 
I don’t eat regular pasta anymore, preferring zoodles or spaghetti squash strands over wheat flour or even brown rice noodles.  But The Captain does like his pasta so I threw this together for lunch on Tuesday after we came home from the tennis court.

I was hungry, and hoped this might be quick. I already had some zoodles prepared and waiting in the fridge, so I put some water on to boil for The Captain’s linguine noodles while I made this sauce. It all came together in about 20 minutes.

I always keep some cooked, crumbled bacon in the freezer. It is just so handy to add a spoonful or two for a little flavor boost.  I also keep peeled garlic cloves in the fridge, too. If you don’t have crushed tomatoes on hand, use diced, or even fresh.. and you could also use your immersion/handheld blender to puree them if you like.

Bacon and Tomato Sauce
Makes 2 servings.

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed and minced
• 3/4 cup white onion, finely diced
• 1/4 cup cooked and crumbled bacon
• 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper to taste
• fresh or dried basil for garnish and flavor punch

1. Warm the olive oil in a skillet or saucepan over MEDIUM heat.
2. Add the garlic and onions and saute about till softenened but not browned, about 7 or 8 minutes.
3. Add the bacon and mix.
4. Add the tomatoes and red pepper flakes and mix again. Allow to heat through.
5. Remove from heat and then ladle sauce over noodles of choice on serving plates. Garnish and season before serving.

Per serving, sauce only.
Weight Watchers P+ = 3.
Calories 132; Protein 8g; Carbohydrate 10g; Fat 7g; Fibre 2g.

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Yogurty Nooch and Tahini Sauce or Dip

When I put this sauce together to have on my zoodles for lunch the other day, I realized it was a bit different from the others I have made in the past, so I wrote it down and thought I would share it here… it really is a good one.  The combination of Greek yogurt with the nooch (that would be nutritional yeast) and tahini makes for a rich and tasty, very creamy and thick sauce.

It also works very nicely as a dip, which I realized when I poked some baby carrots into the piles of creamy sauce sitting on top of my zoodles.  Lovely. Tasty. Very satisfying.

I added a few snips of thyme and basil from my garden, for garnish, and I noticed that the thyme really takes over the flavor on the bites that had it.  If you don’t care for it, please don’t use it.  Garlic might be a nice addition as well, I think.  And of course you can use any Greek yogurt you like… I happen to prefer fat free.  The N.I. will vary accordingly.

Yogurty Nooch and Tahini Sauce or Dip
Makes 1 serving

• 3/4 cup fat free plain Greek yogurt
• 2 Tbs nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp tahini
• dash of salt

1. Mix the yogurt and the nutritional yeast until well blended, then add the tahini and salt and mix again.
2. Spoon on top of your favorite noodles or zoodles, or use as a dip with fresh veggies.

Per serving.
Weight Watchers P+ = 4.
Calories 158; Protein 22g; Carbohydrate 10g; Fat 3g; Fibre 3g.

Printable Recipe

Are you a nooch fan, too?    What is your favorite way to use it?

Chicken in Banana Curry Sauce... Sweet and Savory

You have simply GOT to try this recipe. And if you don’t eat meat, use a bit of water in place of the chicken broth, and serve the sauce over tofu or quinoa, barley, or cauliflower rice. This Banana Curry Sauce is just too good to pass up.  It is slightly sweet, very creamy, and has just a hint of curry… so if you think you aren’t a curry fan, this is the one for you!

It comes together quickly and without a lot of fuss.  Basically, you put the sauce ingredients into a blender to puree the banana… you dredge the chicken with a bit of cornstarch and then brown it...  you put the chicken in a baking dish, cover it with the sauce and pop it into the oven for a while.

Make any changes you need to.  Use coconut oil instead of the olive oil… I think it would be even better, actually.  And if you like, use 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs instead of 2 large breasts.

This version is gluten-free, because I used cornstarch instead of flour to dredge the chicken pieces.  If you eat Paleo, you could use arrowroot powder, or even skip this step and just brown the chicken pieces. 
And serve with veggies of your choice.  So many variations to support your own food choices... but the outcome will be fabulous!

And it SMELLS so good while it is cooking, too.

Ta da!  

Awesome Dinner. Company Worthy. Happy Family.  

Try it!

Chicken in Banana Curry Sauce
Makes 4 servings

• 1 medium ripe banana, peeled and sliced
• 1/2 Tbs medium curry powder
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1 Tbs lemon or lime juice
• 1/2 Tbs brown sugar
• 1/2 can coconut milk (200 ml)
• 3/8 cup chicken stock
• 2 large chicken breasts, about 18 oz in total
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/8 cup cornstarch
• cilantro for garnish (optional but very tasty)
• salt and pepper to season

1. Combine and puree the first 7 ingredients.  Set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
3. Cut the chicken breasts in half so that you have 4 equal-sized pieced.
4. Place the chicken in a bowl and sprinkle lightly with cornstarch. Toss to coat the chicken pieces.
5. Heat the oil in  a skillet over MEDIUM-HIGH.
6. Place the chicken pieces into the skillet and brown both sides, then transfer them to a 9 X 13 baking dish that has been coated with non-stick spray for easy cleanup.
7. Pour the banana mixture over the chicken pieces.
8. Cover the baking dish with foil and set into the oven.
9. Bake 45 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
10. Remove chicken to serving plates. Ladle sauce over the top and garnish with cilantro.
11. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Per serving.
Weight Watchers P+ = 7.
Calories 291; Protein 29g; Carbohydrate 13g; Fat 13g; Fibre 1g.

I enjoyed mine over mashed sweet potato.

The next night we heated the leftovers in the mike and they were just as good.

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What do you think?  Will you try it?

Creamy Ginger-Sesame Sauce for Salmon

I found this idea in a local food flyer that was advertising frozen salmon patties... and I just knew it would be great with Chobani yogurt! 

The Captain was barbecuing a salmon anyway so I decided to try it and we both loved it.  I hope you will give it a try.  Of course the ingredients can be doubled or tripled, as you like.

I suggest you mix it up and leave it sit in the fridge for 15 minutes or so, to let the ginger do its magic with the rest of the ingredients.

Creamy Ginger-Sesame Sauce
Makes 2 servings

• 6 Tbs fat free Plain Greek yogurt
• 2 Tbs fat free mayonnaise
• 1 Tbs grated fresh ginger
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp soy sauce

1. Mix all together in small bowl and let rest for about 15 to 30 minutes in fridge to allow flavors to meld.
2. Serve over salmon fillets, steaks or patties.

Per serving.
Weight Watchers P+ = 1.
Calories 40g; Protein 3g; Carbohydrate 3g; Fat 1g; Fibre 0g.

Mix all ingredients together well.

Serve over cooked salmon.

Goes really well with rice.

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