JUST-ADD-WATER NOODLE JAR

JUST-ADD-WATER NOODLE JAR

2 tablespoons (30 mL) of ketchup

2 tablespoons (30 mL) of peanut butter

1 tablespoon (15 mL) of finely grated frozen ginger

1 tablespoon (15 mL) of fish sauce

1 teaspoon (5 mL) of soy sauce

¼ teaspoon (1 mL) of your favorite hot sauce

The zest and juice of ½ lime

1 carrot, shredded

A handful of fresh bean or lentil sprouts

A handful of shredded basil, mint and cilantro leaves

A green onion or two, thinly sliced

1 standard-issue package (3 ounces/ 85 g) of instant ramen noodles

Description

Squeeze, spoon, splash, sprinkle and grate the ketchup, peanut butter, ginger, fish sauce, soy sauce, hot sauce, and lime zest and juice into a 1-quart (1 L) mason jar. Stir the works together. Top with the shredded carrot, bean sprouts, herbs and green onion. Before you open the noodle package, squeeze it to break up the noodles. Discard the so-called flavor packet and add the noodles to the jar.

At lunchtime, get your hands on 2 cups (500 mL) of boiling water. Pour it straight into the jar, screw the lid on tightly, fold a towel around the jar and give it a gentle shake to distribute the flavors and textures. Let rest for 10 minutes as the magic noodles soften and soak up all the surrounding flavors. Enjoy with a pair of chopsticks.

Shrimp and Asparagus Stir-Fry with Rice Noodles

You only need a few flavorful ingredients to create the savory-sweet orange sauce for this quick stir-fry. Light-colored miso, which can be found in natural food stores and Asian markets, tends to be sweeter and less salty than dark miso, so it works well in the delicate sauce. For the best texture, be sure to stop cooking the rice noodles when they’re still a bit chewy.

PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES / TOTAL TIME: 40 MINUTES / SERVINGS: 4








Ingredients
Zest of 1 orange (about 1 tablespoon)
Juice of 1 orange (about 1⁄3 cup)
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon white or yellow miso paste
2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
10 ounces rice noodles (pad Thai noodles)
2 teaspoons canola oil
1¼ pounds medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
3 pounds asparagus, tough ends trimmed, cut into 3″ lengths
8 scallions, white and some green, sliced (about ½ cup)
1 tablespoon peeled, chopped fresh ginger (1″ piece)
½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes

1 WHISK together the orange zest, orange juice, honey, miso, and soy sauce in a small bowl. Set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil on high heat and add the rice noodles. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until al dente, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain.

2 HEAT the oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook until the outsides are golden brown and the centers are opaque, 3 to 4 minutes, stirring once or twice. Transfer to a bowl.

3 ADD the asparagus to the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 2⁄3 cup water and simmer until evaporated, stirring frequently, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the scallions and ginger and cook, stirring frequently, until the asparagus is crisp-tender, about 1 minute.

4 ADD the reserved orange juice mixture and simmer until slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the shrimp and rice noodles and cook, stirring constantly, until heated through and coated with the sauce, 1 to 2 minutes. Divide among 4 serving bowls and sprinkle with the pepper flakes to taste.

NUTRITION (per serving: 2¼ cups) 370 calories, 7 g protein, 81 g carbs, 3 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 307 mg sodium