A "Clean" Noodle"

   

It's true, so much of our food is over-processed, but over the years we've seen a big movement toward "clean" simple ingredients that mean a healthier diet and delicious meals to boot. Jackie Newgent, who wrote The Clean and Simple Diabetes Cookbook stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about a delicious and easy to make Soba Noodle dish. Jackie told Tonia she starts with a buckwheat soba noodle, which is a healthier, better quality noodle to begin with, and adds natural sweeteners along with fresh cole slaw mix. It's full of fiber and other nutrients...and it tastes good too!

1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons creamy no-added-sugar organic dark roasted peanut butter
3/4 cup unsweetened freshly-brewed green tea or low-sodium vegetable broth, chilled
3 tablespoons naturally-brewed soy sauce
1/4 cup brown rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes or sriracha hot chili sauce to taste
1 tablespoon agave nectar or honey
2 teaspoons unrefined sesame oil
1 tablespoon grated gingerroot
12 ounces dry buckwheat soba noodles (or try spelt or kamut soba noodles)
2 large red bell peppers, very thinly sliced into long strips*
1 Kirby cucumber, thinly sliced into coins, or 1 cup thinly sliced English cucumber
2 scallions, green and white parts, very thinly sliced on the diagonal
2 teaspoons roasted or pan-toasted black or white sesame seeds
2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh cilantro

1. Add all of the peanut butter, tea, soy sauce, vinegar, hot pepper flakes, agave nectar, sesame oil, and ginger to a small saucepan; stir to combine. Cook while whisking over medium heat until the sauce is smooth, slightly thickened, and begins bubbling, about 5 minutes. Transfer the sauce to a large bowl and set aside. (Makes about 1 1/2 cups sauce.**)
2. Add the soba noodles and bell peppers to a pot of boiling water. Cook until the noodles are cooked through (al dente), about 4 minutes, or according to the noodle package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water until cool; drain well. Add the noodles and bell peppers to the sauce in the large bowl along with the cucumber and scallions; toss to combine.
3. Transfer to a serving bowl, if desired. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and cilantro and serve at room temperature or chilled.

Per serving (if serves 4): 570 calories, 20g total fat, 2.5g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 700mg sodium, 83g total carbohydrate, 9g dietary fiber, 14g sugars, 19g protein

Clean Eating

   

It's true, so much of our food is over-processed, but over the years we've seen a big movement toward "clean" simple ingredients that mean a healthier diet and delicious meals to boot. Jackie Newgent, who wrote The Clean and Simple Diabetes Cookbook stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about a delicious and easy to make Soba Noodle dish. Jackie told Tonia she starts with a buckwheat soba noodle, which is a healthier, better quality noodle to begin with, and adds natural sweeteners along with fresh cole slaw mix. It's full of fiber and other nutrients...and it tastes good too!

1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons creamy no-added-sugar organic dark roasted peanut butter
3/4 cup unsweetened freshly-brewed green tea or low-sodium vegetable broth, chilled
3 tablespoons naturally-brewed soy sauce
1/4 cup brown rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes or sriracha hot chili sauce to taste
1 tablespoon agave nectar or honey
2 teaspoons unrefined sesame oil
1 tablespoon grated gingerroot
12 ounces dry buckwheat soba noodles (or try spelt or kamut soba noodles)
2 large red bell peppers, very thinly sliced into long strips*
1 Kirby cucumber, thinly sliced into coins, or 1 cup thinly sliced English cucumber
2 scallions, green and white parts, very thinly sliced on the diagonal
2 teaspoons roasted or pan-toasted black or white sesame seeds
2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh cilantro

1. Add all of the peanut butter, tea, soy sauce, vinegar, hot pepper flakes, agave nectar, sesame oil, and ginger to a small saucepan; stir to combine. Cook while whisking over medium heat until the sauce is smooth, slightly thickened, and begins bubbling, about 5 minutes. Transfer the sauce to a large bowl and set aside. (Makes about 1 1/2 cups sauce.**)
2. Add the soba noodles and bell peppers to a pot of boiling water. Cook until the noodles are cooked through (al dente), about 4 minutes, or according to the noodle package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water until cool; drain well. Add the noodles and bell peppers to the sauce in the large bowl along with the cucumber and scallions; toss to combine.
3. Transfer to a serving bowl, if desired. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and cilantro and serve at room temperature or chilled.

Per serving (if serves 4): 570 calories, 20g total fat, 2.5g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 700mg sodium, 83g total carbohydrate, 9g dietary fiber, 14g sugars, 19g protein

These Noodles Are As Clean As They Come

  

It's true, so much of our food is over-processed, but over the years we've seen a big movement toward "clean" simple ingredients that mean a healthier diet and delicious meals to boot. Jackie Newgent, who wrote The Clean and Simple Diabetes Cookbook stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about a delicious and easy to make Soba Noodle dish. Jackie told Tonia she starts with a buckwheat soba noodle, which is a healthier, better quality noodle to begin with, and adds natural sweeteners along with fresh cole slaw mix. It's full of fiber and other nutrients...and it tastes good too!

1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons creamy no-added-sugar organic dark roasted peanut butter
3/4 cup unsweetened freshly-brewed green tea or low-sodium vegetable broth, chilled
3 tablespoons naturally-brewed soy sauce
1/4 cup brown rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes or sriracha hot chili sauce to taste
1 tablespoon agave nectar or honey
2 teaspoons unrefined sesame oil
1 tablespoon grated gingerroot
12 ounces dry buckwheat soba noodles (or try spelt or kamut soba noodles)
2 large red bell peppers, very thinly sliced into long strips*
1 Kirby cucumber, thinly sliced into coins, or 1 cup thinly sliced English cucumber
2 scallions, green and white parts, very thinly sliced on the diagonal
2 teaspoons roasted or pan-toasted black or white sesame seeds
2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh cilantro

1. Add all of the peanut butter, tea, soy sauce, vinegar, hot pepper flakes, agave nectar, sesame oil, and ginger to a small saucepan; stir to combine. Cook while whisking over medium heat until the sauce is smooth, slightly thickened, and begins bubbling, about 5 minutes. Transfer the sauce to a large bowl and set aside. (Makes about 1 1/2 cups sauce.**)
2. Add the soba noodles and bell peppers to a pot of boiling water. Cook until the noodles are cooked through (al dente), about 4 minutes, or according to the noodle package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water until cool; drain well. Add the noodles and bell peppers to the sauce in the large bowl along with the cucumber and scallions; toss to combine.
3. Transfer to a serving bowl, if desired. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and cilantro and serve at room temperature or chilled.

Per serving (if serves 4): 570 calories, 20g total fat, 2.5g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 700mg sodium, 83g total carbohydrate, 9g dietary fiber, 14g sugars, 19g protein

Chinese Takeout...Hold the Takeout

   

No restaurant required here!  Andrea Chesman, who wrote the cookbook 101 One-Dish Dinners, stopped by Tonia's Kitchen, to talk about her her delicious take on a Chinese-noodle bowl.  Andrea told Tonia she combines a number of ingredients to make the both, including Chinese Rice Wine or Dry Sherry. She also adds cooked chicken and a number of Asian-inspired vegetables like Bok Choy. Andrea says a big key to this recipe is to simmer the broth for about 30 minutes, until it's nice and rich.  She adds that one of her first jobs was in a Chinese restaurant, where she got a first-hand look at classic Chinese cooking.  This bowl was inspired, in part, by her time there. 

8 cups stock, chicken (or neutral-tasting vegetable broth)

2 tablespoons sherry, dry (or Chinese rice wine)

1 tablespoon soy sauce (or to taste)

1 ginger, fresh (1-inch piece, peeled and sliced)

3 cloves garlic (minced)

3 scallion (white and tender green parts, finely chopped)

3⁄4 pound noodles, egg (Chinese, udon noodles or thin spaghetti)

1 pound tofu, firm (or silken, cubed)

6 cups kimchi (chopped, drained)

  sesame oil, asian (to serve)

  cilantro (to serve)

  sriracha (to serve)

Combine the broth, sherry, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and scallions in a large saucepan.  Simmer for 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the noodles and and cook until just barely tender.  Drain well and return the noodles to the pot to keep warm.

Remove the ginger from the broth.  Add the tofu and kimchi to the broth and simmer for 2 minutes. Taste and add soy sauce as needed. It may not need any, depending on how hot and salty your kimchi tastes.

To serve, place a nest of noodles in each bowl.  Ladle the soup over the noodles, drizzle with sesame oil, sprinkle with cilantro, and serve hot, passing the Sriracha at the table.

Deliciously "Clean" Noodles

 

It's true, so much of our food is over-processed, but over the years we've seen a big movement toward "clean" simple ingredients that mean a healthier diet and delicious meals to boot. Jackie Newgent, who wrote The Clean and Simple Diabetes Cookbook stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about a delicious and easy to make Soba Noodle dish. Jackie told Tonia she starts with a buckwheat soba noodle, which is a healthier, better quality noodle to begin with, and adds natural sweeteners along with fresh cole slaw mix. It's full of fiber and other nutrients...and it tastes good too!

1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons creamy no-added-sugar organic dark roasted peanut butter
3/4 cup unsweetened freshly-brewed green tea or low-sodium vegetable broth, chilled
3 tablespoons naturally-brewed soy sauce
1/4 cup brown rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes or sriracha hot chili sauce to taste
1 tablespoon agave nectar or honey
2 teaspoons unrefined sesame oil
1 tablespoon grated gingerroot
12 ounces dry buckwheat soba noodles (or try spelt or kamut soba noodles)
2 large red bell peppers, very thinly sliced into long strips*
1 Kirby cucumber, thinly sliced into coins, or 1 cup thinly sliced English cucumber
2 scallions, green and white parts, very thinly sliced on the diagonal
2 teaspoons roasted or pan-toasted black or white sesame seeds
2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh cilantro

1. Add all of the peanut butter, tea, soy sauce, vinegar, hot pepper flakes, agave nectar, sesame oil, and ginger to a small saucepan; stir to combine. Cook while whisking over medium heat until the sauce is smooth, slightly thickened, and begins bubbling, about 5 minutes. Transfer the sauce to a large bowl and set aside. (Makes about 1 1/2 cups sauce.**)
2. Add the soba noodles and bell peppers to a pot of boiling water. Cook until the noodles are cooked through (al dente), about 4 minutes, or according to the noodle package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water until cool; drain well. Add the noodles and bell peppers to the sauce in the large bowl along with the cucumber and scallions; toss to combine.
3. Transfer to a serving bowl, if desired. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and cilantro and serve at room temperature or chilled.

Per serving (if serves 4): 570 calories, 20g total fat, 2.5g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 700mg sodium, 83g total carbohydrate, 9g dietary fiber, 14g sugars, 19g protein