Any recipe that uses up something that would otherwise be compost has my heart, and these Peanut Noodles make use of the stems of broccoli. I don't know if its my store or what, but I usually end up with a good 3-4" extra inches of stem, even after leaving an inch or two attached to the dark green tops as a steamed side dish. The original recipe called for cucumber cut into matchsticks, but I think the broccoli adds better crunch and also more fiber and nutrients.
So don't throw those out: save your broccoli stems for Peanut Noodles! (Another option for broccoli stems is to chop, freeze, and save them for a batch of Crockpot Lentil Soup)
Children love this dish, but it's sophisticated and tasty enough to satisfy the whole family. Pass the green onions and cilantro at the table if your little ones are wary of "green stuff."
On the right in this photo is my baked tofu. I use baked tofu for this recipe since it holds together better than tofu right out of the package, and is tastier since it's got built in flavor.
Baked Tofu
1 14 oz package organic tofu in water
1/4 c soy sauce or Dr Bragg's Liquid Amino Acids
1/8 t red chile flakes
1 t sugar
Oven to 350. Drain tofu and cut into 8 slices. Lay these on several layers of paper towels, cover with several more layers of towels. Press. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray, arrange tofu in dish. Stir together remaining ingredients and spoon half of it over top of tofu slices (it's okay if it runs off). Bake for 20 min. Turn slices over, spoon other half of marinade over the tofu, and bake another 20 minutes.
Peanut Noodles with Tofu and Broccoli
8 oz spaghetti or fettucine
3/4 c chicken or vegetable broth
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 c peanut butter (old fashioned is best)
3 T sugar
1/4 t red chile flakes (omit if your little ones are sensitive to spice)
3 T soy sauce (or Dr Bragg's Liquid Amino Acids)
8 oz baked tofu
1 c broccoli stems, cut into matchsticks
1/3 c chopped peanuts
3 green onions, sliced
1/2 c cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
Cook pasta according to package directions. With 2 minutes left on the time, add broccoli to pot. Drain and set aside. Heat broth, garlic, sugar, chiles, peanut butter, and soy sauce in pasta pot until boiling. Turn off heat. Add pasta and broccoli, toss. Fold in tofu cubes. Top each serving with chopped peanuts. Pass cilantro and green onions at the table.
