Kid-Tested Easy Peanut Noodles

Don't let the picture of basic brown noodles throw you off - this is one of my kids' favorite (and after-school-friends' most-requested) recipes; it's quick, easy, filling and doesn't have to have "weird ingredients and leafy vegetables" in it.
(Note: I have added some suggestions for vegetables at the end, because just as often we DO make it that way.)

Not that that my kids don't like veggies. They'll actually eat just about anything, and often fill this dish with all sorts of color and crunch - but some days, we all want to stir something quick and easy together. (Still a lot better than Cup-A-Noodles too!)

Just be aware that my girls like stuff medium-spicy, adjust spices as you prefer.

Easy Thai-Inspired Peanut Noodles

PEANUT SAUCE:
1/2 cup vegetable or veggie-chicken-style broth

1 1/2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger root (substituting dry ground ginger will NOT work well here)

3 tablespoons soy sauce

3 tablespoons peanut butter (creamy, chunky, plain, natural style, whatever; I tend to like Peanut Butter & Co.'s regular peanut butter here, it seems to blend smoother than many)

1 1/2 tablespoons brown rice syrup, honey, maple syrup or agave nectar (or corn syrup works in a pinch)

1 - 2 teaspoons hot chile sauce or paste (like Schiracha - from an Asian market or well-stocked supermarket) or 1/4 teaspoon cayenne or hot pepper flakes

3 cloves garlic, pressed thru garlic press

1/2 tsp. fresh lime juice or red wine vinegar

8 ounces noodles of your choice: Udon noodles, Buckwheat Soba noodles, thin vermicelli noodles or rice sticks (like for Pad Thai), or in a pinch, plain ol' unseasoned Ramen noodles or whole wheat spaghetti!!

*ADD INS (as few or as many as you like - your preference):
-- Lightly stir-fried veggies - carrots, cabbage, peapods, peppers, whatever
-- chopped fresh spinach or kale
-- fresh bean sprouts
-- toasted sesame or sunflower seeds
-- cubes of cooked butternut or other winter squash
-- raisins (yes, raisins)
-- frozen peas, slightly thawed
-- favorite seitan or gluten product, cubed and browned a bit
-- chick peas/garbanzos
-- cubes of browned tempeh
-- crispy cubes of tofu (see picture - we get these ready-made at the Asian Market. Flash-fried an even brown using a whole lot less oil than when I try it. Yum!)

TOPPINGS/GARNISHES (as preferred):

-- 1/4 cup chopped green onions

-- 1/4 cup chopped peanuts or cashews

-- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
-- 1/2 cup chopped mint

DIRECTIONS:
First, cook the noodles according to package directions for whatever type of noodles you have.

Drain and set aside, covered, to keep warm.

Meanwhile, (or while noodles are cooking if you can do two things at once) make sauce:

SAUCE: Combine broth, ginger, soy sauce, peanut butter, syrup, chili paste, lime juice and garlic in a small saucepan.

Cook over medium heat, stirring until peanut butter melts and is heated through.

Stir hot sauce into well drained noodles.

At this point, add whatever optional "Add-In" ingredients sound good, depending on who is making the dish. Stir "Add-ins" into hot sauce and noodles just to heat through

Garnish with toppings.
It's these garnishes that REALLY make this dish special!

It's that easy!!

I love this recipe because it's so versatile - you can make it many different ways, depending on what ingredients you have on hand and it's all good.

My older Sprouts make this with no written recipe, each adding variations that suit them, my youngest gets in these moods where she begs for it almost every day after school. And hey, it can be a "snack" OR a whole meal, your call.

Sometimes we do the stuff just "plain" and other times, we (well, mostly I) add LOTS of lightly sauteed veggies according to what's in the fridge that day - red pepper strips, carrots, green beans, bean sprouts, red onion and/or brocolli. When the girls cook, it's usually pea pods, carrots and fried tofu cubes. The nice thing is that pretty much anything goes and the dish can be individualized to make almost anyone happy!

Easy, Fool-proof, Vegan Peanut-Butter Cookies

It's a lazy Sunday; grey, cold, rainy - just a "cookie" sort of day.

When I dragged out this tattered, scribbled-on, annotated-a-hundred-times recipe, I knew it was time to post it to my blog, mainly so I remember where it is!!

Now, you have a yummy recipe in front of you, the rest of a Sunday to waste, no excuses, go make some cookies!

Easy Peanut-Butter Cookies

1 cup peanut butter (any type; crunchy or smooth)
1/3 cup Earth Balance or other vegan margarine, cold - do NOT use Smart Balance (OR use 1/4 cup coconut oil, cool and firm but NOT rock-hard, I prefer the finished texture when using coconut oil)
1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon vinegar
3 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a medium bowl, cream sugar, peanut butter, and margarine or coconut oil together just until mixed. Add vinegar, water, vanilla, salt, and baking powder. Mix in flour until well blended. You may need a Tbsp. or so more flour, the dough should be "play-dough" consistency but not dry!

Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Using a sugar-coated fork, make an “x” on the top of each cookie, gently press and flatten just slightly as you do so. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes depending on elevation and oven - or until browning on the edges and firm, but not hard and crispy.

Cool on cookie sheet several minutes until firm enough to remove with spatula.

Because We All Need A Little Chocolate ... or Fudge...

We were in the mood for chocolate and peanut butter last night.

Sometimes these cravings just have to be dealt with in the fastest and easiest way possible...























Quick and Easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge

**Warning, "Health Food" this is NOT!!

3/4 cup vegan margarine -- (We use Willow Run for this, definitely works the best)

1 cup peanut butter --(If you're using "natural" peanutbutter, this works best with as little oil as possible stirred into it. Great recipe for that dry crumbly stuff in the bottom of the jar. I use whatever peanut butter we have around...)

2 2/3 cups confectioners' sugar (or "powdered" or "icing" sugar. Yes, it's possible to find non-bone-char -vegan-confectioners sugar)

1 cup chocolate chips (vegan)

1/2 cup chopped peanuts (optional)

Instructions:

Lightly grease a 9x9 inch baking dish.
In a saucepan over low heat, melt margarine.
Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter until smooth.
Stir in confectioners' sugar, a little at a time, until well blended.
Stir in chocolate chips and nuts if you want. Pat into prepared pan.
Chill until firm. Cut into squares.

Yes, it's that easy. Enjoy.

Tomato-Macaroni Soup, Quinoa Soup again, and the cat!!

This has definitely been a "soup" sort of week.


Not only have I been running in a thousand different directions with overtime work, classes and activities with my kids, but we've also had several nasty storms that have knocked down power lines and trees.

Fortunately we didn't lose electricity or trees at our house, though both my kids' school and the one where I teach were without for periods on Thursday and Friday, and this old tree down the street finally gave in to the winds...

OK, so...Soup, in my book, has to be quick and easy, or something that re-heats well. I'm not one for standing and stirring and simmering for hours...
First up is this stupidly simple "Tomato Macaroni" soup.

Some years back, I'm not too proud to admit, I had to make occasional visits to the neighborhood food-bank. One of the items we always received, not sure why, was several quarts of tomato juice. Maybe it was government surplus, just like the cheese?

Who knows. At any rate, at a loss for what to do with weekly quarts of tomato juice, I created this soup.

It's definitely nothing fancy, but it's quick, easy, cheap (obviously) and filling comfort food. As a bonus, my kids LOVE it and still ask for it often. Hey, tomato juice is actually good for you, you know? Lots of good stuff, including 21957 micrograms of lycopene in every 8 oz. and you KNOW that's good!

Tomato Macaroni Soup

1 large onion, chopped fine and sauteed in a tsp of oil in the bottom of a stockpot
6 - 8 cups water
2 med. baking potatoes cut into smallish cubes

Bring the above to a boil.

Boil for 5 minutes and add:

1 cup elbow macaroni (you can use whole-grain pasta here)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pickling spices tied up in a cheesecloth or put in a teaball - yes, odd, but these MAKE the soup!

Cook the above at a good boil until potatoes are soft. Remove spice bag.

Add:

1 pint tomato juice, taste and adjust seasonings, adding salt or pepper if needed. Stir until heated and serve.

We sometimes add a swirl of soymilk to cool it down and make it creamy.

Next up, my "Quinoa Peanut Soup" (which I think I posted here before). I originally posted this over at Veggieboards.com, and I was pretty impressed when Nava Atlas asked if she could include it in her latest "Soups..." cookbook. Way cool!

Still one of our family favorites, I love that it re-heats so well. My littlest sprout loves the curly-Q "tails" that the quinoa grains leave in the soup and in typical 8-year-old style, she gets a morbid kick out of freaking out her classmates at school when she takes this soup in her thermos (they're not little worms, I swear, though you might want to warn unsuspecting people...).

Quinoa-Peanut Soup

2 Tb margarine

1 chopped onion or 2 med. leeks sliced (I prefer leeks, use all of white and tender part of green)

2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed (I use more because I'm a garlic fiend)

1 fresh jalapeno, minced (Again, I use more)

1 red bell pepper, diced

2 diced celery stalks, with leaves (I usually leave this out, cause I don't care for celery much)

2 small diced zucchini

1 large sweet potato, yam or peeled butternut squash, diced

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried oregano

4 cup vegetable stock (I use the "non-chicken" style broth)

1/2 cup quinoa, (some brands say to rinse and drain before using - I never have..)

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 dash cayenne pepper or to taste (I use more!!)

1/2 cup chunky organic peanut butter, no honey or sugar

Wear rubber gloves to prepare fresh jalapeno pepper if you need to - or just be careful.

In a large heavy-bottomed soup pot, melt margarine over medium-high heat. When margarine is hot and bubbly, add all veggies, and cumin and oregano. Saute 10 -15 minutes, or until vegetables are softened.

Add stock, quinoa, black pepper and cayenne.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover.

Simmer until quinoa is cooked and veggies are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.

I know it looks done at this point, but go ahead and add the peanut butter, using a wisk to blend in completely, and simmer another 10 minutes. Taste, and adjust seasonings. (Personally I use a little more salt than listed, but do what you like)

I almost always throw grated fresh ginger in there somewhere but it's not necessary.

Last, but not least, the ever-fearless, but curious cat has taken to "supervising" cooking in a new and slightly worrisome way.

If given the chance, he perches on the range hood, high ABOVE the bubbling, boiling, splattering pans... which scares me more than a little!!
We usually try to keep him far from the kitchen whenever we're actually cooking!! (Maybe it's the liquor bottles hiding in the cabinet that fascinate him, eh?)