Pasta, Risotto, and Rice (10 page)

Serves 4
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Prep time: 5 to 10 minutes
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Cooking time: 15 minutes

I like to use wasabi paste instead of wasabi powder for this dish (and most dishes), but you can certainly whisk together an equal amount of wasabi powder and water to get the paste you need for this recipe. For added flavor and color, add a little chopped fresh cilantro.

12 ounces Chinese egg noodles

2 cups fresh or thawed frozen snap peas

1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 teaspoons wasabi paste, or more to taste

Cook the noodles according to the package directions, adding the snap peas for the last 1 minute of cooking. Drain and keep warm.

Meanwhile, combine the broth, butter, and wasabi paste in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, whisking to dissolve the wasabi paste completely into the broth. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the cooked noodles and snap peas and cook for 1 minute to heat through. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper before serving.

Nutrients per serving:

Calories: 431
Fat: 10g
Saturated Fat: 4g
Cholesterol: 97mg
Carbohydrate: 70g
Protein: 15g
Fiber: 5g
Sodium: 147mg

Teriyaki Noodle Bowl with Water Chestnuts and Snow Peas

Serves 4
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Prep time: 5 minutes
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Cooking time: 10 minutes

Teriyaki sauce is both sweet and tangy, and I love to soak noodles in it. The snow peas and water chestnuts add both nutrients and crunch. You can also add baby corn for more color and flavor.

12 ounces soba noodles or whole wheat spaghetti

2 cups frozen snow peas, kept frozen until ready to use

½ cup reduced-sodium teriyaki sauce

½ cup sliced water chestnuts

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Cook the noodles according to the package directions, adding the snow peas for the last 1 minute of cooking. Drain and return the noodles and snow peas to the pan. Add the teriyaki sauce, water chestnuts, and cilantro and toss to combine and coat the noodles with the sauce. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper before serving.

Nutrients per serving:

Calories: 384
Fat: 3g
Saturated Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Carbohydrate: 74g
Protein: 17g
Fiber: 7g
Sodium: 755mg

Curried Noodles with Egg and Carrots

Serves 4
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Prep time: 10 minutes
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Cooking time: 15 minutes

If you like a stronger curry flavor, feel free to add more curry paste, even doubling the amount, so that it suits your taste. Also, when adding the eggs to the simmering broth, it helps to swirl the liquid around in the pan so that the eggs cook in thin strips rather than large chunks.

12 ounces angel hair pasta

2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon curry paste, mild or hot

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup shredded carrots

Cook the angel hair pasta according to the package directions. Drain.

Meanwhile, whisk together the broth and curry paste in a medium saucepan. Set the pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Stir the eggs quickly into the simmering broth and cook for 30 seconds, until the eggs are cooked. Add the cooked pasta and the carrots to the simmering broth and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to heat through. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper before serving.

Nutrients per serving:

Calories: 315
Fat: 5g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Cholesterol: 108mg
Carbohydrate: 52g
Protein: 16g
Fiber: 3g
Sodium: 526mg

Thai Noodles with Soy, Sesame, and Peanuts

Serves 4
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Prep time: 10 to 15 minutes
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Cooking time: 5 minutes

I adore the combination of peanut butter, soy, and sesame. The blend creates a rich and hearty sauce that’s terrific with noodles or spooned over chicken and shrimp. If you want, you may use brown rice noodles, and feel free to fold in chopped fresh cilantro at the end if you have it on hand.

12 ounces rice noodles or rice vermicelli

2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

¼ cup chunky peanut butter

3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 teaspoons sesame oil

Place the rice noodles in a large bowl and pour over enough hot water to cover by about 1 inch (water can be from the tap, just as hot as you can get it). Let stand for 10 minutes. Drain.

In a medium saucepan, whisk together the chicken broth, peanut butter, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Set the pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Add the softened rice noodles and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, until the noodles are hot and the liquid is absorbed. Remove from the heat and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper before serving.

Nutrients per serving:

Calories: 447
Fat: 12g
Saturated Fat: 2g
Cholesterol: 2mg
Carbohydrate: 76g
Protein: 9g
Fiber: 2g
Sodium: 740mg

Asian Noodles with Snap Peas and Coconut Curry Cream

Serves 4
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Prep time: 10 minutes
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Cooking time: 10 minutes

Coconut and curry have a natural affinity because they balance each other—the sweetness of the coconut tames the pungent quality of the curry. You may choose mild or hot curry paste, depending on the type of dish you desire.

12 ounces somen noodles

1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk

1 tablespoon curry paste, red, green, or yellow

2 cups fresh or thawed frozen snap peas

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Cook the somen noodles according to the package directions. Drain and keep warm.

Meanwhile, whisk together the coconut milk and curry paste in a medium saucepan. Set the pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Add the cooked noodles and the snap peas and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to heat through. Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper before serving.

Nutrients per serving:

Calories: 419
Fat: 9g
Saturated Fat: 5g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Carbohydrate: 70g
Protein: 16g
Fiber: 7g
Sodium: 296mg

Chinese Noodles with Napa
Cabbage and Oyster Sauce

Serves 4
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Prep time: 10 minutes
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Cooking time: 10 to 15 minutes

Oyster sauce is a Chinese sauce made with boiled oysters and seasonings. It’s not fishy at all (thanks to pre-boiling the oysters). In fact, it’s rich, savory, and perfect with Chinese egg noodles and napa cabbage (a long, ruffled-edge cabbage often used in Asian cooking). You can find oyster sauce next to the other Asian ingredients at the grocery store.

12 ounces Chinese egg noodles

1 tablespoon garlic-flavored olive oil

1 head napa cabbage, chopped

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more or less to taste

½ cup Chinese oyster sauce

Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain and keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cabbage and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the leaves wilt slightly. Add the red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds. Add the cooked noodles and the oyster sauce and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to heat through. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper before serving.

Nutrients per serving:

Calories: 408
Fat: 4g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Cholesterol: 81mg
Carbohydrate: 77g
Protein: 15g
Fiber: 9g
Sodium: 299mg

Chinese Noodles with Black Bean Sauce and Bok Choy