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Asian

Super quick Peanut Soba Noodle Stir-fry with best sticky tofu

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Soft noodles tossed in a (super delicious) creamy peanut sauce together with some crispy veggies and topped with a slightly sweet sticky maple soy tofu. And all of that’s vegan. I can truly see no reason you would not love this. It’s quick, it’s healthy, it’s versatile and it’s incredibly tasty.

What is special about this dish?

It is not your regular asian inspired stir-fry dish, neither is it your regular satay Salad. It is a great combination of the two of them. Also, we are using soba-noodles, not regular egg or stir-fry noodles. Plus, it has some delicious sticky maple-soy tofu that is the perfect addition. And, it is ready in pretty much no time.

What are soba noodles?

Soba noodles are noodles that originated in Japan but now are eaten all over the world. They are made from buckwheat flour, and most of the time it is in a wholewheat form. That makes them taste a little bit different from regular noodles, meaning they have a slight nutty flavour. The also take very little time to cook and are great in stir fry´s or soups. I already have a few other soba noodle recipes on my blog like my curry soup with lemongrass meatballs.

Is this recipe healthy?

Yes, it definitely is. Why? The soba noodles add a bunch of carbohydrates and fibre (since they are wholegrain) to the dish. The tofu gives a nice and delicious kick of protein and the peanut butter (please use a natural one, and not one with thousands of add-ins) has all the healthy fats you need. Not to forget about all of the veggies you add into the dish, that provide a whole bunch of fibre and vitamins! So yes, definitely healthy!

Easy to make, family friendly and meal prep friendly

This dish truly ticks all of the boxes you need. It is ready in 20 minutes, which makes it a great quick lunch or an easy dinner. Also, it is very versatile and family friendly, since you can substitute ingredients in and out, depending on your preference. Instead of tofu you could go for chicken or prawns or if you do not like a specific veggies leave it out or use something else. Also if you do not have a certain vegetable at home, leave it out and it will still be delicious! I also really like to take this with me and enjoy in my lunch break as it is really easy to heat up and it will still be delicious!

This truly is one of my favourite things to have, warm or cold. I absolutely love how quick it comes together and how incredibly good it still tastes! Unreal. A favourite!

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Quick Peanut Soba Noodle Stir Fry with sticky Tofu

An easy, delicious and nutritious meal. Crispy veggies with delicious noodles, all tossed up in a creamy peanut sauce and topped with some tofu.

Course dinner, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine asian
Prep Time 10 Minuten
Cook Time 10 Minuten
Total Time 20 Minuten
Servings 4 servings
Calories 599 kcal

What you will need

  • 320 g soba noodles
  • 200 g oyster mushrooms *
  • 1 red bell pepper *
  • 1/4 head red cabbage
  • 2 large carrots
  • 100 g edamame beans
  • 2 tbsp oil

For the peanut sauce:

  • 2 tbsp peanut butter
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 2 cm ginger
  • juice of 1 lime
  • 1.5 tbsp coconut sugar
  • 4 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1/2 tsp rice wine vinegar

For the tofu:

  • 400 g firm tofu
  • 4 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp cornstarch

How to

  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the soba noodles and cook according to package instructions (about 5 minutes). When done cooking, preserve 2 tablespoons of the water they were cooking in and drain them and rinse under cold water to stop them from continuing to cook.

  2. Peel the carrot and grate it roughly. Slice the bell pepper, mushrooms and the cabbage into bite sized pieces/ slices. In a pan heat up 1 tbsp of the oil and fry the veggies on high heat for about 3 minutes, then turn down to medium.

  3. In the meanwhile cut the tofu into 1cm sized chunks. Mix the soy sauce, maple syrup and cornstarch until no chunks left. Heat up the remaining oil in another pan and fry the tofu on each side for about 1-2 minutes until crisp. Turn the heat down and add the soy sauce mixture. Stir to make sure the tofu is all covered with the sauce.

  4. In a blender blend together all of the ingredients for the peanut sauce and add the 2 tbsp of preserved water. Add it to the veggies along with the cooked noodles and mix till well combined. Divide onto plates and top with the tofu! Enjoy!

Better than Store-bought 15-minute beetroot hummus

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Hummus. We all know it – we all love it! That creamy, tangy goodness that we spread onto bread, enjoy in pita, top every bowl with and dip our veggies in to make them more delicious! A staple in most households – and still, most people buy it at the store while it is SO easy to make!

What is hummus?

Hummus is a dip or a spread that originated and nowadays is found in Middle Eastern cuisine. It has a very smooth consistency and is made out out chickpeas, tahini (which is a sesame paste), olive oil, garlic, and spices. It typically is enjoyed with some fresh Pita bread. Hummus is very popular among the vegan nutrition because it works great as a spread on bread or as a dairy free dip and is pretty healthy!

What is special about this dish?

Regular hummus, as I said is made out of chickpeas as its main ingredient. But this one is a little bit different and perfect for fall! Besides Chickpeas, the star of the show is beetroot. Beetroot is a quite popular ingredient to be added to hummus because its slightly sweet flavour just works in perfect harmony with the creaminess and tanginess of the hummus. So instead of plain hummus, we are switching things up a little bit and making a delicious beetroot hummus!

How do you make hummus?

The entire process is pretty simple, and will take you a maximum of 10 minutes. To make it, you definitely need canned chickpeas. It is possible to use dried ones, but you will have to cook those for 1,5-2 hours before being able to make the hummus, which is pretty time consuming! So I prefer to go for canned ones. You add those to a blender or a food processor (either works) along with a few other ingredients and blend it until it’s creamy. It really is this simple and does not ask for any other cooking!

The secrets to making a really good hummus

There are a few things you can look out for when making hummus to take it next level. First, use canned chickpeas or ones that are boiled really softly. Second, use a good Tahini. This is a sesame paste you can find at most supermarkets and has a runny consistency but I would recommend buying it at an asian store. The Tahini there is just more liquid and will make the hummus creamier! If you cannot make it to an asian store, I recommend at least checking the ingredients list. A good Tahini has Sesame seeds as its only ingredient.

My third tip is to preserve some aquafaba (this is the liquid the chickpeas come in when canned). Adding this will keep the hummus really creamy. My fourth, and last tip is to use a splash of vinegar. As weird as it may sound, it really makes a difference! It adds this tanginess that makes a hummus really good. Sometimes lemons are used, but I would really recommend doing some vinegar!

Is beetroot hummus healthy?

It definitely is! Chickpeas are very healthy since they are high in protein and high in fibre. The Tahini and Olive oil add some healthy unsaturated fats, which makes a great nutritional value for a dip! The beetroot adds some natural sweetness and vitamins! Another reason why it is loved by the food industry is because it is healthy!

How to best have it

Really with anything, you would have regular hummus with. On top of some toasted bread with some avocado, or to dip some veggies in. Also works great on top of (buddha) bowls, in pita bread or on top of a rice cracker. You can even just thin it out with water and lemon juice to make a salad dressing! So the options are endless… and all delicious!

I hope that you will love this recipe and I am sure you’ll be making this on repeat in your kitchen! A great & healthy fall food!

I hope that you will love this recipe and I am sure you’ll be making this on repeat in your kitchen! A great & healthy fall food!

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Better than Store-bought 15-minute beetroot hummus

The best creamy & delicious beetroot hummus ever. Better than any premade takeout version!

Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine arabian, middle eastern
Prep Time 10 Minuten
Total Time 10 Minuten
Servings 5 servings
Calories 144 kcal

What you will need

  • 1 can chickpeas
  • 2 small beetroots (precooked)
  • 1 tbsp Tahini
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 2 tsp vinegar (white wine vinegar works best)
  • 3-4 tbsp aquafaba (the liquid canned chickpeas come in)
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp paprika powder

How to

  1. Drain the chickpeas but preserve the liquid they were in. Add them to a blender along with all the other ingredients and 3-4 tbsp of that preserved liquid. Blend until smooth! If it is too firm, add more olive oil or aquafaba. But be aware that beetroot hummus will not be as creamy as normal hummus because of the beets in it! Enjoy!

Happy cooking,
Enjoy,
Katie // Une Petite Cuisinière

Red pepper and carrot egg noodle stir fry with saucy mince

by 2 Kommentare

A quick stir fry always is a go-to option for a dinner on busy nights. Although I have never been to China and had a real traditional one, I am obsessed with the ones I have had and made. I love how versatile they are and how creative one can be with them since always having the same can be boring after a while. Like this one, it is definitely not your average one, nope, but it is a DREAM! And super super quick!

What is stir fry? 

Stir fry actually is a Chinese cooking technique where food is prepared at high heat, continuously stirring and there for frying it quickly. Nowadays stir fry is a term with which one often refers to a dish rather than a cooking technique. The dish consists of vegetables sautéed with some sort of meat, seafood, tofu or tempeh all covered in a tasty sauce and served over rice or noodles or even another grain like quinoa. 

What’s special about this dish?

Usually stir fry is prepared with strips of meat or cubes of tofu. But in this dish we are switching it up and using minced meat. Firstly, it is a nice way to switch thighs up and make it different once in a while and secondly it soaks up the sauce super well, which makes the dish really tasty! 

Also, in regular stir fries you can find a bunch of different vegetables, including lots of greens. But here we only use two different ones. That helps to focus on their flavor and to also mane non veggie lovers be obsessed with this dish! But if you still feel like it, go ahead and add in a handful of spinach! 

Is stir fry healthy?

It actually is pretty healthy! But obviously, it still depends on what you are using. When prepared with something like chicken breast or tofu it actually is healthy but when it‘s made with something like pork belly or fatty meat, it loads up on calories and fats.

Which makes me come to the next point: fat. Stir fries usually are prepared with lots of oil because that is common in the asian cuisine. While oil definitely is not unhealthy (unless you prepare it with an oil that gets poisonous at high temperatures such as olive oil) it comes with a bunch of calories, which you should be aware of. 

The last point you should look out for is the soy sauce. Try to use one that is sodium reduced because a lot of sodium also is bot healthy but pretty common.

How to make it healthier

Try to add in as many veggies as possible and choose a type of protein that does not pack a lot of fat and use a soy reduced soy sauce. If you want to make it super healthy you can even serve it with whole grain rice or noodles.

Substitutes:

Bell Pepper/ Carrots – veggies you have on hand/ in the fridge
Ground chicken – any other ground meat or textured vegetable protein
Egg noodles – ramen, soba noodles, rice noodles 

I really love to make this dish because it is something the whole family loves and it is really versatile. Plus, it comes together in less than 20 minutes and is healthy! Perfect for busy weeks! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do! 

Happy cooking,
Enjoy,
Katie // Une Petite Cusinière

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Red pepper and carrot egg noodle stir fry with saucy mince

Saucy and juicy mince on top of soft noodles with crunchy veggies. A dream. Not your normal stir fry but a good one with a nice twist to it.

Course dinner, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine asian, Chinese
Prep Time 10 Minuten
Cook Time 15 Minuten
Total Time 25 Minuten
Servings 4 servings
Calories 625 kcal

What you will need

  • 500 g ground beef
  • 250 g egg noodles
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 yellow/orange bell pepper
  • 3-4 carrots
  • 1 tbsp oil

for the sauce:

  • 4 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 3 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 cm ginger
  • 1 chili (optional but really good)

for garnish:

  • 2 spring onions finely slices
  • fresh cilantro
  • some sesame seeds
  • thinly sliced carrots
  • some lime wedges

How to

  1. Remove the core from the bell peppers. Cut the rest into about 0,5cm thick slices. Peel the carrots and also cut them into thin sticks.

  2. Heat up the oil in a wok pan or a non-stick pan. Once hot add the vegetables and fry on high heat for about 1 minute, then turning it to medium high for another 2-3 minutes.

  3. Add the grounf beef and fry on high heat for about 4-5 minutes, gently mixing through, so everything is well combined and the meat is evenly browned.

  4. Add all of the ingredients for the sauce into a food processor and blend until combined. If you do not have a food processor mix everything in a bowl and grate the garlic and ginger into it.

  5. Prepare the noodles according to package instructions. Add the sauce to the stir fry and let it simmer on low heat for about 3 minutes. Drain the noodles and add them to the stir fry. Mix until combined and the noodles have soaked up the sauce.

  6. Serve in bowls and garnish with the fresh spring onions, cilantro, carrots, sesame seeds and lime. Enjoy!

Curry Noodle Soup with Lemongrass Meatballs

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This dish honestly is one of my favourite things I have ever made. It is just so good. And so family friendly. The combination of a creamy slightly spicy and refreshing soup with fresh vegetables, dense meatballs and soft noodles. It just is so good. Unbelievable good.

It is something the entire family will love. Meatballs are always a family staple in my opinion and noodles are too. If there are family members who don’t eat meat, they only do veggies and noodles, if there are some who are not the biggest fan of vegetables they can leave them out. It is really versatile and really good.

I do not know how I came up with that Idea but I think I somehow wanted a curry and a noodle soup at the same time so I combined it. And I knew I couldn’t go without some meat for my brother and my dad so I decided to try out something different, something that could easily be eaten in a sop and decided to go for meatballs.

Ground chicken or veal work best for the meatballs but pork or beef works fine too. I have to say though, that I have never tried it out with vegetable mince, because I am worried that this will probably fall apart. Other than the meat in the balls go some lemongrass, fresh is best but dried (in powder) works alright too, some ginger, garlic, soy sauce and cornstarch to hold everything together. It all is diced up finely and then mixed together before being formed into meatballs.

As the base of the soup we use chicken broth because it has most flavour and add in ginger, lemongrass and spring onions to add some asian flavours to the broth. This is all being poured over some curry paste and after simmering for a little while also some canned coconut milk goes into the pot. Coconut milk is such a great addition into soups because it makes everything so much creamier and richer plus it adds a ton of flavour. It really is a healthy go-to for soups!

To finish the meal of we add some pasta to the soup for some carbs and texture. Here I recommend using soba ur glass noodles. Soba noodles are my preferred choice. They originally come from Japan and are made from buckwheat flour. They taste super delicious and have more fibre and protein than regular pasta. If you do not find them near you, you can also substitute them for glass noodles.

And of course, we need some vitamins too, so we are adding some vegetables! Here you can use whatever is in your fridge! Personally, I would recommend using mushrooms, carrots, pak choy, cauliflower, asparagus an broccoli. but if you have any other favourites you are free to add them!

Preparing it all takes a little time because everything needs to be chopped but it is a fun thing to do. Especially forming the meatballs is something kids will love.

I love making this dish as a lunch or a delicious dinner because it is packed with flavour, and nutrients. The entire family loves it and you can still enjoy it the next day if there is something left over (although there probably will be none)!

I hope that this gives you some inspiration to cook good and healthy food for your entire family or just for yourself.

Happy cooking,
Katie // Une Petite Cuisinière

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Curry Noodle Soup with Lemongrass Meatballs

Best soup you will ever make. Spicy and creamy base with dense deliciously fresh meatballs, soft vegetables and dedicant noodles. The best thing ever.

Course bowl, dinner, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine asian, thai
Prep Time 30 Minuten
Cook Time 30 Minuten
Total Time 1 Stunde
Servings 4 servings
Calories 596 kcal

What you will need

For the Meatballs:

  • 400 g ground chicken
  • 1 stalk lemongrass
  • 4 cm ginger
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 spring onion
  • 1 tbso soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch maybe a bit more
  • 1 tbsp oil

For the soup:

  • 25 g curry paste
  • 1,5 l chicken broth
  • 2 stalks lemongrass
  • 6 cm ginger
  • 2 spring onions
  • 400 ml coconut milk (1 can)
  • 100 g mushrooms *
  • 100 g broccoli *
  • 100 g carrots *
  • 100 g cauliflower *
  • 1 pak choy
  • 150 g soba noodles
  • some fresh spring onions

How to

That is how it works:

  1. For the meatballs peel and mince the lemongrass, ginger and spring onions finely. Combine them in a bowl with the ground meat, soy sauce and the cornstarch. Mix everything well. It shoudl form a sticky consistency so you can form meatballs. It it is not sticky enough, add more cornstarch.

  2. Take one heaped tablespoon at a time from the meat mixture and form it into balls. Heat up the oil in a large pot and fry the meatballs in it for about 10 minutes. Take them out and set them aside.

  3. In the meantime cut up the ginger, lemongras, and spring onions into larger chunks. Combine the curry past with about 3 tablespoons of the coconut milk.

    In the hot pot quickly fry the ginger, lemongras, and spring onions for about 2-3 minutes. Take them out and place them in a tea bag or sieve so they can cook with the broth later. Add the curry paste mixture into the pot any fry this for about one minute before you add the broth and the tea bag. Bring everything to a boil.

    In the meantime chop all of the vegetbales you are using into bite-sized pices. Add in harder veegtables that need longer to cook, like carrot and cauliflower now and boil them for about 5 minutes.

    In the meantime prepare the pasta according to package intructions.

    After the 5 minutes, add in the other vegetables and coconut milk and take out the tea bag. Let everything simmer for another 3-4 minutes.

    When the noodles are done cooking strain them and set aside.

  4. To serve add some meatballs and pasta into a soup bowl. Next, pour the soup and vegetables over and garnish with some spring onions and fresh cilantro. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

  • you can use any vegetables you have in your fridge, they do not need to be those exact ones,