Oh my yummy goodness…

Every time I have made a satay sauce, it has gone horribly wrong - it sticks, it separates et cetera… until now. I have made this a few times over February and have finally refined it to perfection. Coconut milk, peanut butter, lime, noodles ahhh, what's not to love!? The best thing is that, much like a stir fry, you can throw any or all leftover veggies into this and it will still taste amazing.

I absolutely get attracted to dishes that pair well with lime and coriander - they are such fresh tastes and make, what could be, a heavy saucy dish so much lighter and fragrant.

Not only does this dish taste insane, but you’ll be glad to know that within it you are getting healthy fats (coconut milk, peanut butter), Vitamin C (broccoli, spinach), phytonutrients promoting antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties (any veggies you include), immune boosting compounds (mushrooms), amino acids in complete protein source (tofu).

It is now widely understood that a healthy diet (especially a healthy gut) nowadays includes a variety of 30+ plant foods per week. Now, before this sounds too daunting, this could mean anything from nuts, legumes to vegetables and herbs. So this dish alone could give you a whopping 10 different plant foods to add to your weekly count. Studies say that variety is the key to maintaining a healthy microbiome (gut), so that the bugs and bacteria can do their thing and keep the functioning of your immune system/digestion/mood tip top.

Now, without further ado…

20 minutes - Serves 2-4

Ingredients

150g rice noodles
200g mushrooms
1 head of broccoli
Handful of fresh spinach
280g firm tofu (always using Tofoo)
1 red onion finely chopped
5 garlic cloves
1 red chilli (or another if you’d like it spicy)
1 x 400g can of coconut milk
1 lime (juice of) and 1 more lime cut into wedges to serve
1 heaped tbsp peanut butter (I use pip and nut)
1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
1 tsp coconut sugar or maple syrup
Handful chopped coriander
1 spring onion
Handful chopped peanuts or cashews
Extra virgin olive oil or sesame oil to cook

Recipe

Soak noodles in cold water for around 15 minutes (read pack for instructions)
Chop tofu up into 1 inch cubes and add to saucepan on medium heat with oil, salt and pepper. Once browned on one side, flip each one so that at least two sides are slightly crispy. Lower heat.
Meanwhile place oil, red onion, salt and pepper into another saucepan and soften for 5 minutes on a medium heat. Add finely chopped garlic and red chilli and stir for 2 minutes more.
Chop head of broccoli into small florets, slice mushrooms and add these to the onion mix. Stir for 1-2 minutes with a splash of water to steam through and then add coconut milk. Bring to simmer for 3-4 minutes or until broccoli is al dente. Then add lime juice, peanut butter, soy sauce and sugar and reduce the heat.
Meanwhile, drain the noodles, add boiling water to them and cook for 3-4 minutes (as per instructions on pack or until soft to eat).
Drain the noodles and bring all ingredients together, adding in the spinach here and coating all elements with plenty of sauce.
Serve with fresh coriander, spring onions, nuts and extra lime - if you want it.

I hope you love this dish as much as I do. Remember that all recipes are open for interpretation - for instance, you could leave the tofu out here and add a protein of your choice, or add different veggies. I must say though that the sauce must stay fairly similar to this because it is truly delectable!!

Please let me know if you make this dish by emailing or commenting below.

Enjoy!

K x