Cold Peanut Noodles

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp oil
• 2 cloves of garlic (minced)
• 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
• 5 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1/2 tsp sweet chili sauce
• 8 ounces noodles
• 1 medium carrot (julienned)
• 1/2 small cucumber (julienned)
• 1/4 cup roasted peanuts ((optional))
• 1/3 cup chopped herbs ((I used a mix of mint, green onions, and cilantro))

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the noodles. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add the noodles and cook them according to the package instructions. In the meantime, prepare the peanut sauce.

2. 2

   Sauté the garlic. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add the minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and set it aside.

3. 3

   Make the peanut sauce. To a blender, add the sautéed garlic (and the oil), peanut butter, water, maple syrup, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, lime juice, and sweet chili sauce. Blend for 10-15 seconds, or until smooth. If it appears too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons more water. At this point, you can taste the sauce and adjust the saltiness and sweetness to your liking.

4. 4

   Drain the noodles. Drain the noodles using a colander and rinse them 3-4 times under cold water.

5. 5

   Assemble. Divide the peanut sauce between 4 serving bowls (5 tbsp of the sauce per serving). Add the cooked noodles, a handful of julienned cucumber and carrots, and garnish with roasted peanuts and chopped fresh herbs. Toss everything and enjoy immediately!

6. 6

   You can store the peanut sauce in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Julienned vegetables will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge.