Cold Peanut-Sesame “Noodles” (Grain-free, Gluten-free)

Posted by Stephanie Meyer on Mar 8, 2016 at 11:44am

Cold Peanut-Sesame "Noodles" | Fresh Tart (grain-free)

I had the pleasure of chatting about cooking and healthy eating tips with a group of smart and lovely people at Weber Shandwick PR this past Friday. Given we were talking in an office conference room, there wasn’t the option to cook a dish for them, so I made the group an easy and flavor-packed cold dish that makes for the perfect bring-to-work lunch: zoodles! Or in this case, zucchini, carrot, and daikon radish “noodles,” tossed with chicken, crushed peanuts, sesame seeds, and dressed in a snappy peanut-sesame dressing. (Tip: save aside some of the dressing to make quick chicken satay skewers.)

I spiralized the vegetables the night before and wrapped and pressed them in clean dish towels to remove excess moisture. DO THAT. You’ll like your spiralized noodles much better if you do, whether you eat them raw or cook them. Paper towels work too. You don’t need to work a whole day ahead – even 15 minutes of rest and absorbing moisture will do the trick.

Cold Peanut-Sesame "Noodles" | Fresh Tart (grain-free)I was going to demonstrate the spiralizing process for the group, mostly to show how incredibly easy it is, but…I forgot my spiralizer. D’oh! Luckily I was presenting to PR professionals who sneeze at glitches. Within minutes they’d booted up this Inspiralizer video – way cooler than my demo would have been – and lemons were turned to lemonade, just like that. Yay!

While the group sampled the dish, we had a conversation about being genetically predisposed to loving or hating cilantro. (For the record, I’m a hater who has slowly trained myself to tolerate it by continuing to expose myself to it.) We also talked about the book Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin and how to consciously acquire healthy habits. This book is a GREAT READ and if you struggle to change habits, will help you know yourself and offer tips for how to outsmart yourself. (Again for the record, I’m an Obliger who needs external accountability to stick to new habits. Posting my healthy meals on Instagram and working out with a trainer are two tricks that help me stay the course. So does developing recipes for you!) If you want to talk about cooking and healthy food at your work, send me a note. I promise a fun and lively conversation.

Paleo Sunday Suppers at Kitchen in the Market | Fresh TartOr come and chat about all of these things with me, and cook and eat a spring feast too, at my next Paleo Supper class at Kitchen in the Market, next Friday, March 18. We’ll be making gluten-free/grain-free matzo ball soup, lamb chops with gremolata, root vegetable latkes, and warm lemon custards with coconut whipped cream. Bring questions and walk away with cooking tips, my favorite cookbook and blog suggestions, where to eat out paleo-style in the Twin Cities, and so much more. I hope to see you there!

Cold Peanut-Sesame "Noodles" | Fresh Tart (grain-free)Until then, enjoy this early spring weather and a bowlful of colorful, peanut-y noodles.

xoxo Stephanie

Cold Peanut-Sesame “Noodles” (Grain-free, Gluten-free)
Serves 4

Note: any thickness of noodle will work, but the closest to spaghetti size makes a nice texture. If you don’t eat peanuts, feel free to substitute almond or cashew butter or tahini (sesame paste) for the peanut butter.

For the salad:
4 small or 2 larger zucchini, spiralized to make 4 cups of zoodles
1 large carrot, peeled and spiralized to make 1/2 cup of carrot noodles
1 small or 1/2 large daikon radish, peeled and spiralized to make 1/2 cup of daikon noodles
1/2 cup sprouts (I used kale sprouts, but broccoli or other green sprouts would work too)
1/4 cup chopped scallions
1 cup cooked chicken, pulled into bite-sized pieces (rotisserie chicken works nicely)

For the dressing:
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
3 tablespoons tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 small clove garlic, pressed or minced
1 or more teaspoons Sriracha (to taste)

For garnish:
Chopped cilantro
Chopped mint leaves
Chopped peanuts
Black sesame seeds

After spiralizing the vegetables, spread them out on several layers of paper towels or a large, clean dish towel. Cover with more clean paper towels or another dish towel and roll up tightly. Refrigerate while you prepare the dressing or up to 2 days.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk all dressing ingredients together. Adjust seasoning to taste: tamari for more saltiness, lime and/or ginger for more zing, honey for more sweetness, sesame oil or peanut butter as needed, Sriracha for more heat. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead; cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before tossing with noodles.)

When ready to eat, remove noodles from fridge and press gently before unrolling to extract as much liquid as possible without crushing the noodles. Transfer noodles to a large bowl. Add chicken, and then dressing, and toss gently to coat. Divide among four plates and top with cilantro, mint, peanuts, and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

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