Most people love noodles. Thankfully, there are many healthy options available today.
One of the most health-improved areas in grocery stores is the pasta aisle. Remember that traditional pasta is made from white flour.
In contrast, healthy pasta is made from whole grains and/or beans. It’s about getting more of the optimal dietary fiber and vegetable protein.
Thanks to their high fiber content, healthy pasta is great for a healthy gut microbiome.
Bottom Line: Healthy Noodles Are Easy
Choosing a healthy pasta is easy, given its taste, texture, and health value.
Choose what you enjoy. I encourage you to experiment and try the taste yourself. Remember that the healthiest is the one with the most fiber and protein.
Everyone’s taste buds are different of course, but my palate loves Explore Cuisine’s bean-based pasta.
I also love soba and recommend it. Soba is a staple of Asian cuisine and is made from buckwheat flour. The soba has become a personal favourite. Introducing soba with a delicious a la carte dish that introduces how to make it today.
Lucy’s Healthy Asian Noodle Salad with Peanut Sauce
A perfect summer salad made with crispy raw vegetables and peanut sauce. Delicious leftovers from lunch. If you have allergies in your family, you can substitute almond or cashew butter for peanut butter.
The sauce is delicious as a dip for vegetables, as a condiment for grilled chicken or tofu, or drizzled over rice bowls.Double the recipe for more use later in the week.
For peanut sauce:
- 1 ½ tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh ginger root
- 1 large garlic clove (peeled)
- ¼ cup peanut butter or nut butter of your choice
- 1 orange, juice
- 1 lime, juice
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup (a pinch of sugar is fine)
- 3 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons water
- salty
- Optional splash of hot sauce
For salad:
- 8 ounces dried pasta noodles (bean noodles, brown rice, or soba noodles are best)
- 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
- 2 large carrots (chopped)
- 2 cups thinly sliced purple or Chinese cabbage
- 2 green onions, finely chopped white and green parts
- 1/3 cup chopped coriander
- 1/3 cup toasted peanuts
- salt and pepper to taste
direction:
Combine all sauce ingredients in a small blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. seasoning taste. Add salt if desired.
Cook noodles according to package directions and let cool. Cut the vegetables in the meantime.
Once the noodles have cooled, toss them with the vegetables and peanut sauce in a large bowl. Sprinkle peanuts and coriander on top.
variation:
- Add 2 cups cooked shelled edamame and 1 cup diced tempeh or tofu for a protein boost
- Other vegetables that go well with this dish are raw chopped sugar snap peas, sweet corn (raw or canned), diced cucumber, lightly steamed broccoli, and sliced radishes.
This dish also works well in winter. But I like to cook vegetables and serve them hot. Instead of throwing in raw veggies, try sautéing them in 2 tablespoons of olive or sesame oil first.
Dr. Anne Kurzet Founder and CEO of Just Wellness, he has a knack for breaking down the science of healthy eating and living into simple, digestible messages. She has appeared in “Dr. Oz”, “Oprah and Friends”, WebMD and US News & World Report. The Alabama NewsCenter features advice from Dr. Anne.
