• ~15 ounces of soba noodles or whole wheat pasta*
• 2 cups chopped fresh broccoli
• 1 bunch of asparagus, cut in bite-sized pieces
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (lightly toast them in a dry skillet or buy toasted seeds)
• 1/2 cup green onions, chopped
• 1/4 low sodium soy sauce*
• 1 tbsp chili garlic sauce (or other hot sauce or chili flakes, adjust amount based on desired spice level)
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 2 tsp aji-mirin (rice wine), optional

1. Cook the noodles according to the package directions. In the last minute of cooking, add the broccoli and asparagus to the pot. When finished cooking, drain and rinse with cool water to stop the cooking and rinse away the starch that makes the noodles stick together.
2. In a large bowl, toss the noodle mixture with the carrots, sesame seeds, and green onions.
3. Make the sauce by whisking together the soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and aji-mirin. Pour the sauce over the noodles and toss well. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

*Gluten free: This dish can be made gluten free by substituting rice or other gluten free noodles and using a gluten free tamari (soy sauce). If using full-sodium soy sauce, reduce the amount by 1/4 to 1/2 (down to 2-3 tablespoons).

I am a huge fan of garlic and frequently come up with meal ideas centered around that main ingredient. Sometimes that means simple sauteed greens. Other times it is a more complex dish with lots of different layers of flavor. This meal was of the latter type and I LOVED how these flavors all came together. It is sweet, savory, smokey, and just a tiny bit spicy all at once.This is an enjoy-with-a-glass-of-wine kind of meal!


Polenta
4 cups of water
1 cup of polenta
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp liquid smoke (optional)
1 tbsp margarine (I use organic Earth Balance)
Olive oil

1. Heat the water and salt to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, slowly add the polenta. Reduce the heat to medium, add the margarine and liquid smoke, and stir continuously until very thick.
2. Pour mixture into an 8x8 inch (or similar size) pan lined with parchment paper. Let cool completely (can be refrigerated to speed this up). Once cool, remove from the pan by lifting the parchment paper. Cut into roughly 2-inch squares.
3. Lightly coat (or spray) a skillet or griddle with olive oil. Heat over medium heat then fry the polenta squares until lightly browned on each side.

Ratatouille
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small onion, chopped
2 zucchinis (courgettes), chopped
1-2 cups chopped eggplant (aubergine)
1/2 - 1 red bell pepper, chopped
5 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried oregano
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
Vegan tempeh "sausage" (see recipe below)
Chopped fresh basil

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and saute for several minutes- until the onions begin to brown. Add zucchini (courgette), eggplant (aubergine), and bell peppers. Cook until they begin to soften and the zucchini is lightly browned in places. Add chopped tomatoes and dried herbs and cook for a few minutes more. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in the tempeh sausage.

Vegan Tempeh "Sausage"
1 tbsp olive oil
1 package of tempeh of your choice, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (adjust amount if you would like it to be more/less spicy)
1-2 tsp Bragg's liquid aminos (or soy sauce)

1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the tempeh and saute until it begins to brown. Add the garlic and remaining ingredients, except the Bragg's aminos. Saute until the garlic is lightly brown. Sprinkle the Bragg's aminos over the tempeh (it is VERY salty, so start with less and add more if necessary!). Cook for a minute or two more then remove from heat.

To serve: Place two squares of polenta on a plate then top with ratatouille/sausage mixture. Sprinkle fresh basil over the top.