Perfectly Pasta by Faith Escher
Its April fools day, and that is no joke…while some people take the opportunity to creatively prank their friends, more often than not, April 1st is often a day in which someone gives another person great news and then retracts it with a quick, “April fools!” So it is easy to have your guard up on April 1st, but I want to brighten up your day by giving you some good news that is not an April fools joke…and that is all of your favorite noodle dishes can be made, deliciously, healthfully and on a budget!
Noodles are my favorite! I love all the different kinds of noodles you can make and all the various sauces that you can put on them. I love that most cultures recognize the amazing potential of the noodle…Pad Thai is my favorite Thai dish, spaghetti is my favorite Italian dish, and chow mien is a timeless classic.
I love that noodles can be dressed up or down depending on whether it is a casual event or an elegant occasion. And noodles are the best because they can be the fastest and easiest things to prepare, or they can take hours and be made from scratch in a gourmet kitchen by the top chefs. The following are some of my favorite noodle dishes, and I hope they are a hit in your home as well.
Total Budget: $100 or less
All recipes serve 4
NOTE: Garlic (2) = how many recipes the ingredient garlic is used in. For example, “Garlic (2)” means we will be using garlic in two of our recipes for this week.
The Shopping List For All 5 Dinners
$80-90 *Prices may fluctuate depending on tax, store, sale and season. I paid $82.69 this week.
If you followed us last week you already have the following; however, if this is your first week you will need to make these additional purchases (appx $22.15) or substitute with ingredients you have in your cupboard.
Recipe No. 1
Bok Choy With Chives, Black Bean Sauce, and Chow Fun Recipe | Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Source: Serious Eats | Link to instructions
Note: If you are unable to find chow fun noodles at your local grocery market, I would suggest going to a specialty food store, such as an Asian market. Also, for you tech savvy online shoppers, amazon is a great first stop, as they will likely have a great deal! If you are still unable to find these noodles, you could substitute them for any other kind of noodle that you enjoy.
Recipe No. 2
Simple Udon Noodle Bowl | Cook Time: 30-45 minutes
Source: The Simple Veganista | Link to instructions
Note: The recipe suggests that you can add tofu for protein, I have included tofu in the ingredients list because this recipe is designed for 3 people, so to make it suitable for 4 people I would encourage the addition of tofu to the recipe.
Recipe No. 3
Peanut Pad Thai with Kelp Noodles | Cook Time: 15 minutes
Source: One Ingredient Chef, Andrew Olson | Link to instructions
Note: This dish is designed for 2-3 people, so the recipe should be doubled. I highly recommend using kelp noodles for this dish as they are extremely delicious and happen to be very healthy…if however, you cannot find kelp noodles, I would suggest using a rice based noodle.
Recipe No. 4
Heather’s Zucchini Noodles with Basil-Pumpkin Seed Pesto | Cook Time: 20 minutes
Source: Cookie and Kate | Link to instructions
Note: There are several different ways to spiralize your zucchini. The recipe contains information in regard to the various ways you can prepare your noodles. My spiralizer is a handheld kitchen device from a nearby department store, and it was under $15 dollars.
Recipe No. 5
Creamy Vegan Lemon Asparagus Pasta | Cook Time: 30 minutes
Source: The Minimalist Baker | Link to instructions
These amazing vegan noodles are healthy, delicious and easy to make! The best part about these noodle dishes is that you can feel free to have a second helping, knowing that the vegetables will benefit your body while you enjoy them!
References
Cookie and Kate. (2016, June 6). Heather’s Zucchini Noodles with Basil-Pumpkin Seed Pesto.
Retrieved March 16, 2017, from www.cookieandkate.com website:
Heather’s Zucchini Noodles with Basil-Pumpkin Seed Pesto
Dana, S. (N.D.). Creamy Vegan Lemon Asparagus Pasta. Retrieved March 16, 2017, from
theminimalistbaker.com website: http://minimalistbaker.com/creamy-vegan-lemon-asparagus-pasta/
J. Kenji Lopez-Alt. (N.D.). www.seriouseats.com. Retrieved March 16, 2017, from Bok Choy With
Chives, Black Bean Sauce, and Chow Fun Recipe website:
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/01/vegan-bok-choy-with-chives-black-bean-
Olson, A. (2013, April 12). Peanut Pad Thai with Kelp Noodles. Retrieved March 16, 2017, from
www.oneingredientchef.com website: http://www.oneingredientchef.com/kelp-noodle-pad-thai/
West, J. (2012, August). Simple Udon Noodle Bowl. Retrieved March 16, 2017, from
http://www.simple-veganista.com website: http://www.simple-veganista.com/2015/06/simple-udon-noodle-bow.html
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