blissful eats with tina jeffers: Thai peanut zucchini noodles

Some days I crave a little simplicity in my life.  Last weekend my son decided to run a bath in my tub and when he ran past me with a guilty look on his face I knew something was up.  I was curious when I heard the shower running and then realized the sounds of pouring water wasn’t coming from my bathroom but from my living room.  As I walked down my stairs I was struck by the sight of water pouring out of a light fixture as my 6 month old puppy was trying to drink out of the torrential amount of water that was streaming out of my ceiling.  While she’s running around my feet super excited by the newly supplied waterfall, I step on her leash, she races away and I go flying down the stairs.  As I lay there staring up at the ceiling with a dog licking my face and water streaming out of my ceiling I contemplated the chaos that always seems to define my life and decided that I needed to find a quiet place to lick my wounds.  

Don't get me wrong I love my family, but they are larger than life, loud, rambunctious and always on the go.  I tend to like peace and quiet and have to fight for any I get.  I think that's why I love my garden so much, it's one of the few places I can retreat to and gather my thoughts and have a little peace.  I also get tired of eating the food I prepare for them, I love to make them happy but I can only eat so many burritos before I find myself craving something light and fresh.  I love zucchini noodles because they don't require any cooking, I can have them ready in minutes and you can get creative with what you pair them with.  Tossed with a zesty peanut sauce and full of fresh veggies it's a great vegetarian lunch that really satisfies.  

Well, I've been sitting hear quietly for a few minutes so it's time for me to prepare for the next adventure that life with my family will bring.  Visit me at www.scalingbackblog.com during the week for more recipes!

Thai peanut zucchini noodles

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 medium zucchini

1 carrot

1 cup edamame, shelled

¼ cup chopped cashews

½ avocado, cubed

1 tablespoon black sesame seeds

½ cup assorted herbs (mint, basil, cilantro)

1 tablespoon peanut butter

1 tablespoon lime juice

½ tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon garlic chili paste

Method:

In a small bowl, combine the peanut butter, lime juice, honey, sesame oil, garlic and chili paste.  Whisk to combine, then set aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Using a julienne peeler, cut the zucchini and carrot into long strands.  In a medium bowl combine the zucchini, carrot, edamame and avocado, add a few tablespoons of the dressing and toss lightly to combine.  Garnish with the herbs, sesame seeds and cashews and serve.