How often do you make pasta with some variation of red sauce or pesto?  A lot?  Well, try a peanut sauce!  Everyone loves it and it is so easy and forgiving.   I got this recipe from Naturally Ella’s which is a site I go to often.   I want to make and eat every recipe Ella posts.   If it weren’t for my day job, I might give it a try. She says this recipe is tied with her sweet potato tacos as one of her two favorite meals.  I’m making those tomorrow night.   But back to the peanut sauce… I’ve made a lot of peanut sauces in the past and this one is by far the best.  You should really try this recipe.  It will end up in your repertoire of “recipes you must make again and again”.  Ella uses rice noodles in her recipe, but I made mine with whole wheat pasta.  In the end, any kind of noodle will work. Okay, get to it!

Ingredients

Sauce:
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 1/3 cup vegetable broth
1 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 cup honey
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1/4 cup tamari (soy sauce)

Other Ingredients:
1 lb. whole wheat pasta
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion
4 cups assorted vegetables ( such as broccoli, cauliflower, carrots)

Toppings:
Bean Sprouts
Cilantro
Peanuts

Method

1) In a bowl, whisk together ingredients for sauce.  Taste sauce and add more of whatever you like.  Set aside.
2) In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add onion and cook until onion is fragrant and translucent, 6-7 minutes.  Stir in your choice of vegetables and cook for 2 more minutes. Add peanut sauce and reduce temperature to low. Cover and let vegetables cook, 6-8 minutes.
3) While vegetables are cooking, cook pasta according to instructions.
4) Mix pasta with peanut sauce and vegetables and serve with toppings for everyone to pick what they like.
5) Feel free to throw in cooked shrimp or tofu – Yum!