Back in April, hubby and I went to the Kokua (Hawaiian for “help” – environmental cause) festival at the Waikiki Shell.  I think my cousin would agree that was THE BEST (well, aside from her NKOTB concert) concert we’ve ever been to – you get Jack Johnson, DMB, Paula Fuga all in one!  Woo!  Well anyways, we met Randy and Kym, a couple who just moved to HI and were sitting in front of us at this concert.  Ever since then, they’ve been great to hang out with on this isolated little island we now call home.  Tomorrow, Kym is going to cut my hair (she’s an awesome hairstylist), and to repay her, I’m making the both of them lunch (or dinner, whatever).  These peanut-hoisin noodles are so healthy to make and never boring – I’ve made them for work potlucks with rave reviews, and you can basically add/subtract whatever ingredients to your liking!  This recipe makes A GRIP of food – so it’s great for sharing at parties, with family, coworkers, etc.  I’m estimating that it will serve 12-14 people.  Easily.

Wait, but let me do a plug for this new pasta on the market.  Barilla Plus thin spaghetti, per serving, provides 4 grams of fiber (that’s a good source!), and a whopping 10 grams of protein (more than an ounce of meat).  In addition, it provides alpha-linolenic omega-3 fatty acids that regular white pastas do not provide (28% of your daily value per 1/4 box).  Omega-3 fats are a heart-healthy fat found in walnuts, wild-caught salmon, flaxseeds, and other foods.  And best of all, it has a great taste, a little nuttier than regular pasta, but still light and smooth in texture.

Peanut-hoisin noodles with shrimp, pork, and veggies

Ingredients:

1 box (14.5 oz) Barilla thin spaghetti

4-5 garlic cloves, minced and set aside

4 oz boneless pork chop or chicken breast, thinly sliced

1 tsp fish sauce

1/2 tsp sesame oil

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp black pepper

3/4 lb shrimp, deveined and shelled

1 Tsp olive oil

1 carrot, peeled, sliced thinly (about 1/4 inch thick)

2 1/2 cups snow peas or sugar snap peas (trim the tough ends)

3 cups green cabbage, cut into 1″ x 2″ pieces (or if you don’t care, that’s fine!)

3 cups bean sprouts

1/2 cup water

For the peanut-hoisin sauce:

1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp hoisin sauce

1/2 cup smooth, reduced-fat peanut butter

2 Tbsp chili-garlic sauce

1 tsp low-sodium soy suace

1/4 tsp sesame oil

3 Tbsp water

At the end:

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup green onions, sliced into 1-2″ pieces

You can do a lot of the prep work (boiling the noodles, cutting the veggies, marinating the pork) a day ahead.  I’m all for making things easier on myself!

1.  Boil the thin spaghetti according to the direction on the box.  Drain the noodles and set aside.

2. In a small bowl, combine the pork, 1/2 of the minced garlic, fish sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and black pepper.

3. In a 12″ saute pan or larger, heat over med-high heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil.

4. Add the pork mixture and saute, about 2-3 minutes until browned on both sides.

5. Add the shrimp and cook for another 5-6 minutes, until the shrimp become translucent and the pork is no longer pink.  Remove the pork and shrimp mixture; transfer to a small bowl.

6. In the same pan, combine the carrot slices, snow peas, cabbage, bean sprouts, and water.  Stir and cook for about 7-8 minutes, until the vegetables become cooked but still have a slight bite (al dente veggies?  Sure!).  After they are done, transfer the veggies to a large bowl.

7.In a medium microwaveable bowl, heat the hoisin sauce, peanut butter, chili-garlic sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, and remaining water for 20 seconds at a time, until you can stir and incorporate it all into a uniform sauce.

8. In a large stockpot/pan/wok (whatever you can hold all that pasta in!), heat the 2 Tbsp of olive oil over medium heat.  Add the rest of the reserved garlic; stir for 30 seconds.  Add the pasta and the peanut-hoisin mixture until well-incorporated.  Now (finally, I know!), add all the veggies, pork, shrimp, and turn off the heat.  Add the green onions – the heat residual will slightly soften the green onions.  Add black pepper to your liking.

If you’re cooking for less, just make half the pasta and throw in whatever veggies/meats/tofu you like, and reduce the sauce by half.  That makes enough for two to last a few meals (very easy to pack for lunch the next day!).  It’s an all-in-one meal – you have your protein, veggies, fiber, and complex carbohydrates to last you for a few hours.  Thanks Kym – I hope you enjoy your meal!