Asian Flavors — Mediterranean Diet Style
Thai food is one of my favorite cuisine’s, and I loved a sesame noodle dish I ate when I visited Bangkok. This veggie version substitutes the noodles with spiralized veggies – delicious and healthy!
The Upstate International organization in Greenville SC is celebrating “Upstate International Month – essentially a month-long celebration of people, cultures, languages and arts from around the globe. My contribution all this month is to BE BRAVE and utilize seasonings and spices that create Asian flavor profiles to healthy dishes that follow the principles of the Mediterranean Diet and lifestyle. A flavor twist to change things up!
Since Thai food is one of my all-time favorites this first recipe is a riff on the traditional sesame noodle dish I ate when I visited Bangkok over 20 years ago made with veggie “noodles” and a roasted sesame sauce. Very excited as it was easy, quick, and turned out better than I dreamed it would! Feel free to add sautéed shrimp and a splash of fish sauce to the dish for that authentic aroma and taste.
So, create this dish to give your tastebuds a trip around the globe!
Asian Style Sesame Veggie Noodles
Ingredients
Noodles
3 cups spiralized zucchini noodles
2 cups spiralized butternut squash noodles
1 ½ cups shredded carrots or spiralized carrot noodles
1 cup spiralized or julienned beets
1 cup broccoli florets (blanched)
5-6 tablespoons O&V Roasted Sesame oil *
6-8 cloves of garlic, minced
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Lime juice from one lime
1 cup bean sprouts
½ cup unsalted, dry roasted peanuts
2-3 tablespoons green onion, thinly sliced
Chopped cilantro
Lime quarters to garnish
Sauce
1 teaspoon O&V Roasted Sesame oil *
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup O&V Roasted Sesame Dressing *
2 teaspoons soy sauce
½ teaspoon Chili Sambal Oleak paste or Sriracha sauce (optional for spice)
1 tablespoon stock or water as needed
½ teaspoon of Fish sauce (optional)
Preparation
For the Sauce:
In a small pan, heat the Roasted Sesame oil, and gently sauté the minced garlic till it is fragrant but not browned. Lower the heat and add the Roasted Sesame dressing to the pan, along with the soy sauce. Add the sambal paste and fish sauce (if using). Warm gently and thin out with stock if needed (you want it to be very thick as the water from the vegetables will thin it out once added and mixed in)
For the Noodles
Use a spiralizer to create noodle strands of zucchini, squash, carrots and beets.
Heat a wok or large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of Roasted Sesame oil. Add egg and scramble until cooked, creating small pieces. Remove to a plate
Add the remaining oil and minced garlic and sauté for about a minute until fragrant but not browned. Add the beets noodles and cook for 3-5 minutes. Add the carrots, butternut squash, and broccoli and sauté another two minutes. Then add the zucchini noodles.
Add sauce and toss for one minute, then remove from heat and add lime juice. Toss well and add back the scrambled egg.
Pour into a serving bowl, top with bean sprouts, chopped peanuts, cilantro and green onions. Serve immediately with a quarter of lime to squeeze on
Serves 3-4
Total time 30 minutes
Notes
* The Roasted Sesame oil is a great way to add lots of sesame flavor to any stir fry recipe. You can substitute with a plain EVOO.
* The Roasted Sesame sauce is an easy way to get amazing flavor with no effort. Email me if you would like a home-made sauce recipe instead.
Categories: Entrees, Soups & Salads, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Vegetarian, Unflavored EVOO, Roasted Sesame Oil, Spiralized Vegetables, Zoodles, Zucchini Noodles, Butternut Squash, Beets, Carrots, Spiralized Carrots, Carrot Noodles, Garlic, Eggs, Bean Sprouts, Roasted Peanuts, Cilantro, Roasted Sesame Dressing, Soy Sauce, Sambal Oleak, Veggie Pad Thai, Asian Style Sesame Noodles, Plant Based, Meatless Meal, Easy Weeknight Meal, Mediterranean Diet, Thai Flavors,
