Spicy Peanut Soba Noodles

i get a few questions about how to get enough protein. this is especially hard when following a vegetarian diet. while i am not a vegetarian, i do enjoy meatless meals. i have decided to try a meatless monday series with recipes that are meat-free but rich in protein.

what better way to kick of meatless mondays with spicy peanut soba noodles? not only is this dish full of vegetables, but it also packs a triple protein punch with the peanut butter, edamame, and soba noodles. soba noodles are made out of buckwheat flower making them not only rich in iron and zinc but gluten-free too.

(side note: i have tried many different soba noodle varieties and some tend to clump and stick together. i have found the best brand - in my opinion - is hakubaku organic soba authentic japanese buckwheat noodles. i buy them at wegmans but they are also available at amazon.com. they hold up well in cooking and even freeze well if covered in sauce.)

due to the quick-cooking nature of soba noodles, this dish comes together in about 15 minutes and clocks in at nearly 19 grams of protein per serving. not bad considering it's vegetarian. the dish has a little bit of kick but you can easily adjust the heat of these noodles by either increasing or decreasing the crushed red pepper amount.

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Spicy Peanut Soba Noodles
4 servings

1/3 cup all natural peanut butter
1 tbs fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
3 tbs tamari or low sodium soy sauce
2 tbs rice wine vinegar
2 tbs honey
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tbs vegetable oil
1/2 tbs sesame oil
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
8 oz sliced mushrooms
2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup shelled edamame
1 cup snow peas

whisk together peanut butter, ginger, garlic, tamari, vinegar, honey, and red pepper flakes and set aside.

cook soba noodles according to package directions being careful not to overcook.

meanwhile, heat oil in wok over medium-high heat. add mushrooms and onion and saute for 1-2 minutes. add in zucchini and broccoli and stir well. cook 1-2 minutes. add edamame and snow peas and stir well. add in cooked and drained soba noodles and pour sauce over mixture, tossing well to combine.

serve immediately.