Sunday, September 7, 2014

Thai Peanut Quinoa Bowls



Thai Peanut Sauce


Ingredients:

1c. peanut butter
1c. coconut milk
1/2c. fresh lime juice (about 4 limes)
1/4c. + 1Tbsp soy sauce
1/2c. agave nectar
garlic powder (to taste)
Sriracha (to taste)

Directions: 

Combine peanut butter, coconut milk, lime juice, soy sauce and agave nectar. Whisk until smooth. Add garlic powder and Sriracha to desired taste. Serve however you desire. If you would like to know how I used it-continue reading. :)





Thai Peanut Quinoa Veggie Bowls


So, I went to visit some good friends in Atlanta this past weekend, and was lucky enough to enjoy some great food while I was there (enjoying the great company too of course!). The first place we went to was a place called R. Thomas http://www.rthomasdeluxegrill.net/ which had so much stuff on the menu that I wanted to try, that I thought my brain might explode. Luckily for me, that did not happen. I finally decided on their Thai Express bowl with tempeh, at the suggestion of my friend which he based on several yelp reviews he remembered stating that the Thai Express Bowl was delicious http://www.yelp.com/biz/r-thomas-deluxe-grill-atlanta. It was delicious! We also got the banana chocolate chip cake which was phenomenal as well!! How I now wish I was back there enjoying a piece of that cake right now... Ah well, back to my recreation. Well I got back late last night and I have been craving that bowl ever since I ate it on Saturday, so I decided I would make my own version, and hopefully it would tie me over until the next time I visit. So, here you go! I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.


Ingredients:

1c. quinoa
2c. vegetable broth
about 1/2 c. thai peanut sauce for sauteing the vegetables (see recipe above) + additional amounts for each serving to be added by lucky eater to their own taste preferences (amount differs by taste level).
1 1/2c cauliflower florets (cut into small pieces)
1c. broccoli florets (cut up into small pieces)
2c. mushrooms (cut up into small pieces)
1c. snow peas (cut up into small pieces)
1/2c. red bell pepper
1c. carrots - julienned
1-2Tbsp H2o
salt and pepper to taste

Garnishments:

fresh lime juice
cilantro
green onion
Sriracha
peanuts
thai peanut sauce

Optional Ingredients:

tempeh
tofu
Beyond Meat chicken 
cabbage
onion
corn

Directions:

Rinse quinoa. Place in saucepan with vegetable broth and cook according to directions listed on the quinoa packaging.
Once the quinoa is cooked, set it aside. Steam the cauliflower and broccoli (separately) for a few minutes just to lightly soften them up a bit. Get a saute pan and place about 1-2Tbsps water and heat the pan on medium high heat. Once the water starts boiling in the pan, add the cauliflower and carrots. Saute for about 2-3 minutes. Add the broccoli, mushrooms and red bell pepper to the pan and continue to saute for about 2 minutes. Add the snow peas. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add thai peanut sauce to the pan and continue to saute for just a minute or so longer. Turn off the burner and take the quinoa you cooked earlier and add it to the vegetables. Mix well. Serve immediately with the garnishments listed above. Enjoy!