Aromatic Noodles with Lime-Peanut Sauce

This is the 8th and final week of Whip It Up.  The end to the “challenge” won’t change things around here – after all, I’ve been posting a recipe per week since November – it just means that I can go back to posting from my archived recipes and pictures, rather than having to cook something new each week.  This week’s theme is “Make Your Own Take Out”, and I knew immediately what I would be making.  I may have actually drooled on my keyboard when I saw this posted over at Amy’s last month, containing my favorite Thai-inspired flavors (peanut and lime) with a mix of some of my favorite vegetables (broccoli, sugar snap peas, snow peas).  It did not disappoint – it was every bit as good as I was imagining, plus super easy and came together very quickly (in other words, a perfect weeknight meal).  It did, however, make quite a lot – eight Julie-sized portions, to be exact.  I was definitely tired of it by the end of the week after eating it every day for lunch and dinner, proving that you can, indeed, have WAY too much of a good thing.  I suspect it will be quite a while before I make it again… or I’ll just have to have friends over for dinner so they can save me from the leftovers.

Aromatic Noodles with Lime-Peanut Sauce
Adapted from The Food You Crave by Ellie Krieger

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces whole wheat linguine
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 2 cups sugar snap peas
• 2 cups snow peas
• 1/2 cup peanuts
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1/2 tablespoon lime zest
• juice from one lime
• 1 scallion, chopped
• 3/4-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions:

1. Toast the peanuts in a dry skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant, approximately 5 minutes, stirring frequently.  Set aside to cool.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain and rinse under cold running water, set aside.
3. Steam broccoli, snow peas, and sugar snap peas in the microwave until bright green and crisp-tender.
4. Puree the peanut butter, soy sauce, water, vinegar, lime juice, lime zest, scallion, ginger, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes in a food processor blender until smooth.  Coarsely chop the cooled peanuts.
5. Immediately before serving, toss the pasta with the peanut sauce.  Divide into bowls and top each serving with vegetables and a sprinkle of chopped peanuts,