Meatless Mondays: Light Soba Noodles

Soba noodles have been a real favorite around here recently.  When I’m not in the mood for a dish as substantial as soba noodles with peanut sauce and shrimp, I like something lighter.  This fresh-flavored dish uses veggies to bulk up the whole-grain soba noodles, so you get a satisfying serving size while keeping your caloric intake reasonable.

This dish takes less than 20 minutes to put together (maybe 15, depending on how fast your water boils!).  It's vegan.  If you would like, you can pan-fry or broil some tofu for extra protein. Or, if it's not a meatless Monday in your house, shrimp might be really nice too.

Light Soba Noodles with Veggies

You can customize the veggies in this dish however you like – snow peas would be delicious here.  

Yield: 2 servings

INGREDIENTS

3 oz soba noodles

1 bell pepper, stem and seeds removed, thinly sliced

1 cup shitake mushrooms, sliced

1 green onion, sliced

¼ cup cilantro, chopped

1 lemon, zest and juice

1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

1 tbsp light soy sauce

Sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook soba noodles according to package directions. (If your directions are in Japanese, and you don't read Japanese, it probably says to boil them for 6 minutes.)

2. While noodles cook, heat a skillet over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray, and add peppers and mushrooms.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are cooked and peppers are tender-crisp.

3. Combine lemon zest, juice, sesame oil, and soy sauce in a small bowl and whisk to combine.

4. When the soba noodles are finished cooking, drain and place in a medium mixing bowl. Add the cooked vegetables, green onion and cilantro, and dressing. Toss to combine. Portion into two bowls, and serve sprinkled with sesame seeds. 

I didn't have any leftovers to test my theory on, but I think this would be delicious as cold leftovers too.  If you try it, let me know!  

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Soba Noodles with Peanut Sauce and Shrimp

This meal uses one of our favorite pastas - soba noodles. Soba is a Japanese noodle, shaped a lot like spaghetti, made with whole-grain buckwheat flour. We bought ours at a Japanese market, but you can probably find them in the international section of your supermarket. Soba is considered a good pasta choice for athletes.

The noodles are coated in a creamy asian-influenced peanut sauce, and topped with grilled shrimp. The peanut sauce is one of Nick's favorite things, so we've made this, or variations, several times. We top the dish various proteins and vegetables, but these shrimp were one of the best versions.

This recipe yields two generous servings, each of which is packed with complex carbohydrates, healthy fats and protein. It's not diet food, but rather food designed to keep you fueled and energized. I especially like this meal on days where I had a long run or challenging workout.

Feel free to substitute chicken, tofu, slices of beef, or whatever other protein you like as a topping if you don't care for shrimp.

Soba with Peanut Sauce and Shrimp
Yield: 2-3 servings

INGREDIENTS
6 oz soba noodles
8 oz raw shrimp, thawed if frozen

Shrimp Sauce:
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp fresh, finely chopped cilantro
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger

Peanut Sauce:
1/4 cup natural creamy peanut butter
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp mirin
Juice of 1/2 lime
2 tsp honey
1 clove garlic, minced or grated
1 tbsp fresh grated ginger
1 tbsp chopped cilantro

To garnish: (optional)
Sliced green onions
Sesame seeds
Sliced avocado
Lime slices
Cilantro

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine ingredients for shrimp sauce, and refrigerate for an hour or so to let the flavors meld.
2. Pre-heat grill for direct grilling over high heat. Place shrimp on skewers. Divide shrimp sauce into two containers; set one container aside. Brush shrimp on both sides with sauce.
3. Prepare soba noodles according to package directions. (I boiled them for six minutes in salted water.) While noodles boil, combine all ingredients for peanut sauce. Set aside.
4. Grill shrimp, 2 or so minutes per side, brushing with more sauce. When the shrimp are finished, place on a plate and pour the reserved sauce over them.
5. When the soba noodles are finished cooking, drain, then return to the pot and toss with the peanut sauce. Portion into bowls, and top with 3 to 6 shrimp per bowl. Garnish as desired. (Chopsticks optional.)

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