MONDAY MORNING RECIPE POST - ONE POT TERIYAKI NOODLES

Today’s recipe is one I found at 50K Recipes. I couldn’t find the name of the author. It was a very tasty, fast-to-prepare dish. You can find the original here.

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into bite-sized pieces)

1/2 green cabbage, shredded

2 carrots, shredded

1 tablespoon olive oil

2/3 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground mustard 

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

16 ounces spaghetti

3-1/4 cups water

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Optional garnishes: green onions, sesame seeds

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat  

Add olive oil and the bite-sized chicken pieces  Cook until the chicken is browned on all sides.

Add shredded cabbage and carrots to the skillet and sauté for about 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.

Stir in soy sauce, brown sugar, mustard, ginger and garlic powder. Mix well.

Add the uncooked spaghetti (breaking in half if preferred) and pour in 3-1/2 cups water.

Cook uncovered for 15 to 18 minutes, stirring occasionally. As the noodles soften, stir more frequently to prevent sticking.

Once the noodles are tender, remove from heat and toss in sesame seeds, or you can leave those out if you prefer.

Serve immediately garnished with green onions and extra sesame seeds if using.

Variations and substitutions were given:

You can replace the cabbage with Napa cabbage, broccoli or snap peas for different textures and flavors.

You can use a different noodle and swap for rice noodles or udon noodles to make it more authentically Asian. (See my note below).

Swap chicken with shrimp, tofu or beef strips. 

Storage: allow leftovers to cool completely before storing  place in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to three days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of water to maintain the sauces consistency.

Freezing: allow the dish to cool fully, then transfer to a freezer-safe container. It can be frozen for up to 2 months. When ready to eat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat with a little water to restore moisture. 

Changes we made:

We had most of the ingredients for this recipe but Gregg bought ramen noodles at Costco the last time he was there. I got the photo from their company  I noticed they had a lot of recipes at this link. The packet he bought had 12 individual packets inside. We used enough packets to make up the amount required for our recipe.

Instead of the sesame seeds, didn’t have those, I used Everything Bagel, which typically uses sesame

seeds, poppy seeds, dried garlic, dried onion and coarse salt. I enjoyed this substitution very much.

Instead of chicken breast we had a roll of minced ground turkey and cooked it following the recipe, but crumbling up in the pan and cooking it until it was browned. 

Instead of chopped cabbage there was a coleslaw mixed cabbage ready and waiting. I added halved cherry tomatoes. I like the idea of adding more veggies, like the carrots for instance which we left out because there was already grated carrots in the coleslaw mix. Maybe diced sweet red pepper. Neither of us are fans of the green ones. Sliced mushrooms would be nice.

I think that’s about it. As always if you have any questions or suggestions, let me know in the comments.

MONDAY MORNING RECIPE POST ON A TUESDAY - MONGOLIAN BEEF NOODLES

As it was Memorial Day yesterday, I left this recipe until today.

Here is another one for Mongolian Beef, this time with ground beef and noodles. You can find the other one at this link. I have had this saved for a while and don’t have a link to the original recipe. If I find it, I will add later. It was another excellent choice, a 10 out of 10 from both of us and there are enough for seconds tomorrow. Definitely another keeper. We actually liked this sauce better, even though that last one was excellent, and if you compare the ingredients, you will see the difference. We changed the noodles to what we already had in the pantry, but we had all the other ingredients on hand. Along with the sliced green onions for the garnish, we sprinkled a few drops of Siracha over the top of our individual servings at the table, but this is entirely optional.

Mongolian Ground Beef Noodles 

1 pound ground beef 

5 cloves garlic, minced 

1/3 cup brown sugar 

1/4 cup beef broth 

1/3 cup soy sauce 

3 tablespoons hoisin sauce 

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 

Pinch of red pepper flakes, also optional if you like a spicy kick

10 ounces linguine 

1 tablespoon cornstarch 

2 tablespoons water 

4 green onions, sliced for garnish

Cook the linguini according to package instructions in a large pot of boiling water. Carefully drain and set aside. 

Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Drain any excess fat. 

Next, add the minced garlic to the beef and cook for 1 minute until garlic becomes fragrant.

Pour in soy sauce, beef broth, brown sugar, hoisin sauce, ground ginger, black pepper and red pepper flakes (if using). Stir well to combine.

In a small bowl mix the cornstarch with the 2 tablespoons cold water and blend until smooth. Stir this mixture into the skillet with the beef and sauce.

Allow to simmer gently until the sauce thickens to how you like it.

Add the noodles to the skillet with the beef and sauce. Toss together until the noodles are fully coated with the sauce.

Let them simmer together for a few minutes to absorb the flavors.

Serve with the sliced green onions. As I mentioned earlier, I also used Siracha because we both enjoy a little heat. 

These are the noodles we used.  They are described as a wide-ribbon egg pasta, and are made in Italy under Wegman’s brandname. Lots of other brands with the same type of noodles I’m sure (it is the first time we have used papardelle). Wegman’s is hubby’s favorite supermarket, though we shop at several others. Living in this busy area there are many to choose from. Hubby picked them up a couple of shopping trips ago. They were very good and we still have half left in the packet. 

It would have been nice to add a little chopped cilantro over the top for a bit more color. Not everyone likes cilantro I know, but maybe Thai basil or even chopped parsley.

If I have missed anything out or you have any questions or suggestions, let me know in the comments and I will do my best to answer them.

Thanks for visiting and have a great day!

MONDAY RECIPE POST - BEEF, NOODLE AND CHEESE CASSEROLE

You can brown the casserole a little more for a more golden appearance. We usually make it in the colder months.

This is another recipe I have long forgotten where it came from. All I know is we give it a 10 out of 10 every time we make it.

1 pound ground beef

1 small yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce

1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained

8 ounces egg noodles (we used the butterfly kind)

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup cottage cheese

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (divided)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celcius). Lightly grease an 8 x 13 inch baking dish.

Cook the noodles in salted boiling water according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Brown the beef in a large skillet over medium heat and cook until beef is browned and onions are soft.

Drain excess grease.

Add the garlic, salt, pepper, Italian Seasoning, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, mixing gently until well combined. 

Let simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. 

Assemble the casserole: 

Combine the sour cream and cottage cheese in a separate medium bowl. 

Put half the noodles into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.

Spread all of the cream cheese mixture evenly over the noodles.

Add the remaining half of the noodles on top of the cream cheese.

Pour all the meat sauce over the noodles.

Put all the grated cheese on top of the meat sauce.

Cover the casserole with foil and bake 20 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, slightly golden and bubbly. 

Let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. A little chopped parsley sprinkled over the top would add a little more color but I forgot this step.

Notes I jotted down.

You can use Rotini or penne pasta (or in our case the butterfly pasta) instead of the egg noodles. Directions/timing might differ a little. Try not to overcook.

You can pre-prepare. Assemble the casserole and cover tightly. Refrigerate up to 24 hours before baking.

Freezer friendly.  You can wrap the unbaked casserole in foil and freeze, or make two, one to eat that night and one to freeze for later. You can freeze portions up to 3 months in an airtight container. Thaw overnight and reheat in the oven or a microwave until warmed through.

I prefer the oven for reheating, but microwave works if you want to put food on the table in a hurry for anyone who is super-hungry.

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

We added a veggie salad and a crusty roll.

MONDAY MORNING RECIPE - SHRIMP SCAMP MADE ON 12-11-24

This night we wanted seafood and as we had a large bag of frozen shrimp waiting to be opened, I searched for recipes. This is what I came up with, Shrimp Scampi. It came from Back Road Journal hosted by Karen, and the original recipe can be found at this link.

Shrimp Scampi With Linguine - serves 2

3 oz. dry linguine, per person (amount depends on personal preference)

1/2 lb. jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 4 – 5 per person, depending on size)

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. onion powder

3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

3 Tbsp. butter

1/4 onion or 1 large shallot, minced

4 – 6 cloves garlic, depending on size, minced

a large pinch of red chili flakes

1/2 c. white wine

1 lemon, zested and juiced*

1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley

Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions until just under al dente.

Reserve a cup of pasta water for later. Adding pasta water to your sauce mixture later helps to create creamy sauce that will stick to your pasta.  

While the pasta is cooking, season shrimp well with salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. 

Heat oil and butter in a large sauté pan over medium high heat, and add the onion, garlic and red pepper. Cook until the onion is translucent, about 1 minute. 

Add the shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until just pink but not completely cooked through, about 2–3 minutes. 

Transfer shrimp to a plate and set aside.

Add the wine, lemon juice and season with salt and pepper, cook until reduced and is a sauce consistency, about 4 to 5 minutes. Taste and adjust for any additional seasoning. 

Return shrimp to sauté pan and add the lemon zest and parsley and stir.

Using tongs, transfer pasta directly to the sauté pan, reserving the cooking water as mentioned before, and toss. 

Add about a 1⁄4 cup of the pasta cooking water and cook, tossing until the pasta is al dente and the sauce has thickened and coats the pasta about 2 to 3 minutes. If needed, add more water a 1/4 cup at a time. Plate and drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil, if desired. Serve immediately. 

What did we think? 

This was an excellent version that we enjoyed very much. Because it suited both our tastes with ingredients that we like, we gave it a 10 out of 10. 

As often happens we had not gone to the store for a few days and made our scampi on impulse.

We had a large bag of frozen shrimp in the freezer that came from CostCo and used those for this recipe.  First time using frozen  shrimp and we were very happy with the outcome.

Instead of the linguine we had preboiled udon noodles in the fridge and used those. They were great with this dish.

We didn't have any white wine so used Beringers White Zinfandel. It had been bought for guests but we ended up using our guest's gift of wine instead. Berringers is one of our favorites and we enjoy a glass with our meal. 

We didn't have any onion powder or fresh garlic, and we didn't miss it.

Our lemon was on the large side, but we love lemon, so it all went in, including the zest. 

Butter isn't something we use a lot of anymore, but for dishes that say "don't skimp on the butter", we take them at their word.

One of Karen's tips is not to overcook the shrimp in the beginning. They will continue to cook on the plate and when they are returned to the sauce. Overcooking the shrimp will make them tough.

Another of Karen's tips is to cook the pasta to slightly less than al dente as it will finish cooking in the sauce.

I have left the full address below, in case you would rather copy and paste instead of using the link. I will try to remember to do this at the end of every recipe.

https://backroadjournal.wordpress.com/2023/07/29/shrimp-scampi-with-linguine/

If you have any questions let me know in the comment section and I will do my best to answer.

Thanks for visiting everyone, enjoy your day and week.

MONDAY RECIPE POST - THAI PEANUT RAMEN NOODLE SOUP

This is one of those recipes I don't remember where I got it originally.  It has been stored away in my folders for a long time and we finally made it on Thursday, February 9th, 2023. We enjoy Thai food very much and we were long overdue since the last time we made this type of recipe.  

The one thing I shouldn't have done, was bite down on the Thai Chili Pepper (at times I really should ignore my curiosity).  I have eaten Jalapenos without a problem and enjoyed them, but this smaller pepper was new to me and the hottest I have ever had.  I don't mind a little heat but found myself reaching for anything that would cool my mouth down.  So, my advice is enjoy the peppers but if you are not used to eating them, take them out before you serve up.  The soup itself is not too spicy hot and delicious!

Spicy Thai Ramen Noodle Soup

2 teaspoon avocado oil or olive oil

2-3 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

1 cup grated carrot

1 or 2 teaspoon green curry paste

4 cups vegetable broth

1 can (13 oz to 14 oz) full fat coconut milk

½ cup creamy peanut butter, brought to room temperature

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons Agave syrup - *see note on Agave below recipe

Juice of 2 limes 

plus

1 extra sectioned lime (for squeezing juice over finished soup at the table.)

1 packet Udon noodles

Shrimp (optional) already cooked - **see note below.  Use as many as each of you think you would eat

Sliced white onions, sautéed earlier for a few minutes in a frying pan.

Tofu would be a nice addition also.

Any favorite protein can be added.

We chose the following to put on the top of our soup:

Gregg sautéed the shrimp in a frying pan for a few minutes, only long enough to heat through, along with a few sliced onions.

Thai basil (we bought ours at a local Asian Supermarket not too far from us. We have a hard time getting Thai basil at our local supermarket.  If I couldn’t find Thai basil, I would be happy to substitute cilantro which we have often done).

Chopped Peanuts

Green onions, thinly sliced

Grated carrots

Lime sections

Or

Your own favorite toppings

On medium high heat add the avocado oil until hot.

Add prepared garlic and ginger, sauté for 1 or 2 minutes, reducing heat so as not to let the garlic burn.

Add curry paste mixing into the garlic and ginger, also the Thai chili, and sauté for another minute.

Add the vegetable broth and coconut milk.  Stir to combine thoroughly.  Reduce heat to a simmer.

Stir in peanut butter until thoroughly combined.  A whisk helps.  

Stir in the soy sauce, agave and lime juice.

Simmer on low for 5 minutes.  Taste and adjust seasonings; more soy if needed, more agave if needed, more lime juice if needed (we didn’t feel the need to add extras but everyone’s taste is different).

For the last few minutes of cooking add the grated carrots.

Before serving, add the noodles (we used Udon that we cooked to package directions just before putting into the soup.  This was done in a separate pot but you can add yours to the broth and just follow what the directions say on your noodle package.

Also add the cooked shrimp to heat through.  Won’t take long.

Serve immediately.  

I put small dishes on the table, one with sautéed sliced onions, another with the sliced green onions, chopped peanuts and sectioned limes.  I thought the lime added a lot to this soup, both in the cooking process and for squeezing the sections onto the soup at the table.

I gave our meal a 10 out of 10 and Gregg a 9 out of 10, which is still excellent.  However, he thought it was a bit bland, I did not because there are times when I prefer it this way, and I am not saying I found it entirely bland.  

* There is an interesting article on Agave Syrup at this link.  It gives substitutions, one which is Maple Syrup and we have used that before when we didn't have Agave.

** Adding shrimp. You don’t need to add any as it is delicious without.  However, Gregg picked up a small tray already cooked from the refrigerated counter at the supermarket (the kind you eat cold as an appetizer).  We have bought them often, used as many as we thought we could eat in our meal. Later that day we eat the rest using the small container of cocktail sauce for dipping, which is always included.  

You can also of course buy raw shrimp, peel and devein them, and sauté a few minutes until cooked through.  For those who are starting out and have never cooked them before, you can see how at this link.  

At the table I added lots of extra lime juice to my meal.  

Gregg thought he would like to add oyster sauce in the cooking process.  I thought it was fine without.  Gregg is more adventurous than I am, which is great because thanks to him I have had many adventures over the years, not only in travel but in the kitchen.

This is all a bit wordy but I add all these notes for my own benefit for next time.  Hopefully you will find them useful if you decide you would like to try the recipe.  If you have any questions let me know in the comment section.

MONDAY RECIPE POST - ASIAN CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

It was a chilly day when we made this soup.  I felt cold in the house and grabbed a cardigan.  The day called out for a nice hot soup, and I have had this one on my list for quite a while.  It came from a food blog called Cooking Classy hosted by Jaclyn, and her original recipe can be found here.  Thank you Jaclyn for a delicious soup.  We gave it a ten out of ten.

Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

Servings: 4

Calories: approximately 497 per serving

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 35 minutes

Total time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

2 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 cup diced carrots (about 2 large)

6 green onions, sliced (1 1/2 cups)

4 garlic cloves , minced

2 tablespoon minced peeled ginger

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts

Salt and freshly ground white or black pepper

6 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce , or more to taste

2 tablespoon mirin

2 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon sriracha 

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

3 cups slightly packed chopped Napa cabbage

6 oz crimini mushrooms, sliced

1 (4.3 oz) package dry ramen noodles, seasoning packets discarded

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Instructions

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.

Add carrots and sauté 3 minutes, then add green onions, garlic and ginger and sauté 2 minutes longer, set aside.

Cover chicken with plastic wrap and pound to an even thickness, using the flat side of a meat mallet. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.

Season both sides of chicken lightly with salt and pepper, then add to pot and cook until browned on both sides, about 2-1/2 minutes per side.

Pour in chicken broth, soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar, sriracha and sesame oil, then pour carrot mixture into soup mixture.

Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until chicken has cooked through (center should register 165 degrees on an instant read thermometer), about 5 - 7 minutes.

Remove chicken breasts from soup and transfer to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes then cut into strips.

Meanwhile, stir in sugar, cabbage and mushrooms and return soup to a boil.

Add noodles and cook 3 - 5 minutes longer until noodles are tender. Stir in chicken.

Serve warm sprinkled with cilantro.

Nutrition Facts

Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

Amount Per Serving

Calories 493

If you enjoy Asian dishes with a little bit of heat (you can add as much or as little sriracha as you want) I can recommend this one highly.  It was delicious!   

An egg roll on the side would be a nice addition next time.

We made a few changes using what we had on hand, a regular green cabbage for the Napa.

White button mushrooms instead of the crimini.

It calls for 6-1/2 cups of chicken broth but we added two large cartons which worked out to 8 cups.  We both like extra broth.

We had a different brand of Ramen Noodles in the pantry, which worked out well.   

The chopped cilantro added to the soup at the table was nice.  I mixed it right into the soup before eating.  Next time we would like to use Thai basil, as we like it even more than cilantro.  I read once that if you can’t get Thai basil, mint is often substituted. 

That's about it.  Another very enjoyable soup that has gone into our make-again folder.

MONDAY RECIPE POST - VEGAN SPICY THAI PEANUT RAMEN

We both enjoy Thai food and it has been a while since I shared a Thai recipe.  As soon as I saw this I knew it was for us.  Not only did it look a very flavorful dish, it was very pretty to look at and pleasing to the eye.  It could also be made to fit our own taste in the way of added vegetables.  Though it has 'spicy' in the title, I like things on the mild side as far as seasonings go, and if I can eat it and not have a problem, anyone can.  You can read my note on this at the bottom of this recipe.

I found the recipe at a food blog called Rabbits and Wolves, hosted by Lauren.  I was looking to add a meatless dish to our weekly menu.  You can see the original recipe here.  Thank you Lauren!  The broth alone has become a favorite, the whole dish was very yummy. 

Vegan Spicy Thai Peanut Ramen - Serves 6

2 teaspoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

1 teaspoon green curry paste

4 cups vegetable broth, divided (3 cups and 1 cup)

1 can (13 to 14 ozs) full-fat coconut milk

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons Agave syrup (see added notes below my signature at the end of my post.  I have added some substitutions in case you can't find this Agave syrup)

Juice from 2 limes, plus extra for garnish

12 ozs. Ramen noodles (seasoning packet removed)

Suggested additions by Lauren:

Mushrooms, thinly sliced

Toasted sesame seeds, black or white

Thai Chilis

Cilantro

Peanuts, chopped

Other vegetable choices to suit your taste

Our choices were:

Firm Tofu, 16 oz. box cut into bite-sized cubes

1 container of Mushrooms, sliced

A handful of Baby Snow Peas

Sweet peppers, diced (I bought a packet of small ones, a mixture of red, yellow and orange.  Use as many as you think you would enjoy)

A handful of Peanuts, chopped
A handful of fresh Cilantro

In a large pot heat the 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium high heat.

Add the chopped garlic and grated ginger.  Sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, reducing heat as needed (we want the garlic cooked and not burned).

Add the curry paste and stir into the garlic and ginger for about a minute more.

Add the 3 cups of vegetable broth and the coconut milk.  Stir to combine and reduce the heat to a low simmer.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the peanut butter with remaining 1 cup of vegetable broth until smooth.  

Once this step is done add the mixture (peanut butter and cup of broth) to the pot.  Thoroughly combine with other ingredients.

Add the Agave, soy sauce and the juice of the 2 limes.  Simmer on low for 10 minutes, so that the flavors have a chance to develop.

Taste and adjust the seasonings if necessary (add more salt, Agave or lime juice to suit your own taste).

Right before serving add the Ramen noodles.  Simmer and cook according to package directions.  This should only take about three minutes but using a spoon, carefully take out a couple of strands and taste test.  You might want to let it cool a little bit as I don't want you to burn your lip.  We don't want the Ramen too mushy but I'm one of those people who doesn't like it too hard either.

Serve immediately.  The broth is delicious on its own but we loved it with all the extras.

Notes: 

Measure all your ingredients out first before starting, and put them within arm's reach when you are adding everything to the pot.  I know I'm preaching to the choir here but maybe there are some cooks just starting their culinary adventures.

I would suggest fixing your tofu before making the broth.  Take the tofu out of its container, put on a plate and wrap in a clean dry tea towel, or between a couple of layers of paper towel.  (This link will take you to a YouTube video showing five ways to drain tofu.)  

We pressed out as much liquid as we could.  This is so that it will crisp when sautéing in a smidgen of olive oil heated on medium-high.  Turn down heat if tofu is browning too quickly.)  

Before adding them to the frying pan put 2 tablespoons of cornflower in a bowl.  A few cubes at a time, toss tofu and shake off any excess cornflower.  Put on another plate.  Repeat until all tofu has been coated.  

Sauté on all sides until golden.  This will take a few minutes.  When done put on a clean plate and set aside.  You will be putting tofu back into the broth to reheat before serving.

We sautéed the mushrooms for a few minutes in a separate frying pan, and also set aside on a clean plate.  Added them to the broth a few minutes to reheat.

I picked the cilantro leaves off the stalks and stirred them into the broth at the last minute.  We also kept a few leaves for a garnish, along with all of the chopped peanuts. 

Section 2 extra limes lengthwise and place on a small dish to pass around at the table. It gives this meal a nice little zip squeezing extra juice over your meal.  Again, entirely up to you if you want to do that.

There are leftovers for other meals and they only get better.  We found this out the next day.

This is a note for my own benefit and not necessarily for everyone, as tastes are different.  We thought we would try an extra teaspoon of grated ginger next time, and also an extra teaspoon of green curry paste.

These sound like a lot of steps but they go fast and we gave this meal a 10 out of 10.

For fun I played with the Brushstrokes app on my iPAD and turned one of my photos into art.

Added note at 8-03 p.m. on 10-7-19

Sallie whose blog is A Full-Time Life, mentioned that she didn't have a couple of ingredients and as she would be on the road soon, didn't want to buy anything else as she is trying to use everything up before she leaves.  I think we can all relate to that. 

One of those items Sallie mentioned was Agave Syrup, and my next thought was that some of you might not have that readily available in your local supermarket either, as I have read it can be hard to find.  So, I thought I would look up substitutions.  I found the following at various websites online.

White Sugar: you can substitute white sugar to replace Agave, but it is suggested that for every quarter cup, use a 1/3 cup of sugar with a  couple of tablespoons of water.

Honey: you can also use honey but probably half as much because its sweetness is so concentrated.

Dates: can be mashed into many recipes to provide a subtle sweetness that resembles Agave.  

Corn syrup: using twice as much corn syrup as the recipe calls for of Agave.

Brown sugar: brown sugar provides a toasted, earthy sweetness that can easily replace Agave in a recipe.  Use the equivalent amount and test taste your broth at the end of the cooking time in this recipe.

Blackstrap molasses:  This thick, unsulphured variety of sweetener is not only healthier than most carbohydrate-containing sugars, but also provides a number of minerals than can boost overall health.  Use the exact same amount as called for when using the Agave.  In this recipe it calls for 2 tablespoons Agave Syrup, so you would use 2 tablespoons of Unsulphured Molasses to replace it.

This has turned into an epistle of a post, but that's the way she flies when she starts flying around the internet.

Monday Recipe - Sesame Noodles

Today's recipe was found here at Budget Savvy Diva.

Sesame Noodles

2 carrots, julienned (matchstick style)
1/2 cup of frozen sweet peas
1/2 cup of leeks, thinly sliced
2 tablespoon of sesame seeds
2 garlic cloves, minced
12 ozs. noodles, cooked to package directions
 (if I can't get to our local Asian supermarket I will use Angel Hair Pasta, which I normally have in  my pantry)
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/4 cup of sweet chili sauce, or if you like it really hot use a 1/2 cup
1 tablespoon of chili paste
1 Lime
Salt to taste

Toast the sesame seeds by heating them in a small fry pan until they just start to brown.  Watch carefully to prevent burning.  Take off heat and set aside.  

In a small bowl, or in a 4 cup measuring jug, mix the sesame oil, chili sauce, chili garlic paste and soy sauce together.  Put to the side.  


On medium, heat the vegetable oil in a wok or frying pan.  When hot enough add the minced garlic.  Cook until garlic becomes fragrant, but watch carefully as the garlic easily burns.  

Add the veggies.  Stir fry until crisp-tender.  

Add the cooked noodles and mix well.  
Add the sesame seeds (but keep a tablespoon for 
sprinkling on noodles before serving).  

Pour sesame oil/soy sauce/chili mixture over the noodles and fold in.  

Put a portion on each serving plate.  Add lime wedges for squeezing juice over the noodles.    
Add the leftover tablespoon of sesame seeds over the noodles on each plate, as well as the sliced green onions.

 What did we think of this recipe?  It was excellent, totally suiting our tastes.  Gregg told me I could serve this up any time I wanted to as he loved it, and it is a fast meal to put together and to cook.  A good recipe for using up any leftover veggies you might have in the fridge.

The original recipe called for snap peas but I didn't have any so I used 1/2 cup of frozen sweet peas. It was one of those days when I had not gone shopping and was using what I had in stock. I also didn't have the full 1/2 cup of chili sauce as I didn't have a lot left in the jar, but there was a 1/4 cup.  We both found it hot enough and will stick to that amount from now on.

There were leftovers for another two meals, which we had the next day.  It tasted even better as happens after the flavors have had a chance to blend.