There is no denying that most kids are incredibly picky eaters. Unless it’s plain ole’ chicken, or pasta with butter, they dislike everything until proven otherwise. Eventually most of us grow out of it, but I feel like everyone holds on to some food phobia or habit they had when they were kids; like my sisters’ fear of mayonnaise or the fact that my brother and boyfriend still put ketchup on everything. As for me, I was genuinely concerned when I bought this whole wheat pasta, yesterday.
You couldn’t pay me to eat whole wheat when I was a kid. So when I intentionally went to the store to buy it, I couldn’t help but hesitate when it’s all white, and cheaper, counterpart was sitting only inches away. Even after googling “is whole wheat actually good for you?”, I went against my childhood intuition and bought the stuff. Let me tell you, it was totally worth it.
I couldn’t imagine using white pasta with this recipe. The texture and light nuttiness of the whole wheat rounded out the flavors of the dish perfectly. I couldn’t help but be a little proud of myself, too. (I know whole grain is technically better for you, but one step at a time, folks). I can’t wait to bring this to work for lunch at my to-be-determined corporate job. (lot’s of daydreaming going on over here). In the meantime, next stop on my list of “no thanks”, carrots!
I recommend Trader Joe’s Whole Wheat Pasta due to it’s delightfully chewy texture and overall health ratings.
- About ½ lb organic whole wheat pasta
- 2 T canola or vegetable oil
- ½ cup natural chunky peanut butter
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 1 T rice vinegar
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- 1 T plus 1 tsp honey
- 1½ tsp lemon juice
- ¼ cup water
- salt and pepper to taste
- Garnish
- Sesame Seeds
- scallions/green onions
- Boil the pasta according to the package instructions. (Salt the water just before the water begins to boil.)
- In a small bowl, mix together all of the remaining ingredients, excluding the canola oil and garnish. Season with salt and pepper. (I used a little over ½ tsp of salt and freshly cracked pepper)
- When the pasta has cooled completed, place in a large mixing bowl and add the canola oil to prevent sticking.
- Pour the peanut sauce on top of the pasta and toss gently with tongs. Garnish with sesame seeds and scallions.
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