28 Days later..

And so 2014 continues its race to go quickly to the end. So I ask you, what have you accomplished already? You see, every single day that goes by is an opportunity to learn, to live, to love but we are so caught up in the daily routine that we forget that time has no mercy. I cannot stress enough how amazing it is to take a moment of your day and just do something out of your regular activities. Sit outside and enjoy the silence and look at the clouds pass by, go out and take a cooking or painting class, go skydiving, volunteer.. The opportunities are endless. YES they are, I do not care what excuse you have- it is just that an EXCUSE!
So stop making excuses and get going! The worst feeling on earth (in my humble opinion) is regret.

On to the FOOD...
This recipe is an adaptation of Ina Gartens crunchy Asian noodles. It is so dang good it makes me sick!

Asian Noodles

What you need:
Kosher salt

1 Lb thin spaghetti

1 Lb sugar snap peas

3/4 C vegetable oil

1/4 C rice wine vinegar

1/3 C soy sauce

3 Tblsp dark sesame oil

1 Tblsp honey

2 garlic cloves, minced (use a microplane, the smaller the better)

1 Tsp grated fresh ginger

3 Tblsp toasted white sesame seeds, divided

1/2 C smooth peanut butter

2 red bell peppers, cored and seeded, and thinly sliced

3 scallions (with and green parts), sliced diagonally

3 Tblsp chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

 

 

 

How to make:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, bring another large pot of salted water to a boil, add the sugar snap peas, return to a boil, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until crisp tender. Lift the sugar snap peas from the water with a slotted spoon and immerse them in a bowl of ice water. Drain and set aside. This is called blanching.

For the dressing, whisk together the vegetable oil, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, garlic, ginger, 2 tablespoons sesame seeds and peanut butter in a medium bowl.

Combine the spaghetti, sugar snap peas, peppers and scallions in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the spaghetti mixture. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds and the parsley and toss together.

Tips: You can skip the sesame seeds if you cannot find them. If you want more crunch you can use crunchy peanut butter or simply add chopped peanuts. Pair this with pretty much anything, I opted for a simple piece of salmon marinated in balsamic vinaigrette and roasted parmesan asparagus.

~Enjoy!