Eggplant Noodles in Peanut Sesame Sauce

Meatless Monday noodle edition! 
We love a full flavour Monday comfort meal and this recipe has all the flavour and full of plant powered protein. Toss your vegetables and noodles in a delicious peanut sesame sauce, and top with sesame seeds and green onions. This is a hearty vegan dish that the whole house will love.

 

Serves 2-3 

 

Ingredients

• 1/2 bag wide rice noodles
• 4 tbsp olive oil, divided
• Pinch chili flakes
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small carrot, diced
• 6 cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 medium sized eggplant, cubed
• 1/2 block tofu, pressed and patted dry
• Large handful baby spinach or bok choy 
• Sesame seeds
• 1 green onion, sliced

 

Peanut Butter Sauce Ingredients 

• 1 large spoonful peanut butter
• 1 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp miso
• 3 tbsp tamari
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp rice wine vinegar
• 1-2 tsp sriracha
• 3-4 tbsp water 
• Pinch chili flakes

 

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 400F convection if you have and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 
2. Wash eggplant and cut into cubes leaving skin on or peeled if you prefer. Place eggplant onto baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tbsp oil and season with sea salt and pepper. Toss to coat.  Bake for 20 minutes. 
3. Toss cubed tofu with 1 tbsp olive oil and season with sea salt and pepper.  Spread onto second baking sheet.  Once the times goes off for eggplant, flip it and place tofu and eggplant in the oven.  Bake for another 20 minutes.
4. While tofu and eggplant are baking, boil water and generously salt it.  Cook noodles according to package.  Reserve 1/2 cup of noodle water before draining. 
5. While noodles are cooking heat 2 tbsp oil and chili flakes in a large pan.  Add onion and sauté until translucent.  Add carrots and garlic and cook for several minutes.  Add mushrooms and cook until mushrooms start to lose their moisture.  Add more oil if necessary. Add in spinach, tofu and eggplant. Mix to combine.  Finally, add the noodles and the sauce.  Toss everything together using tongs. Transfer to bowls and garnish with green onion, and sesame seeds.