Dinner Tonight – Sweet Soba Sesame Noodles w/Chicken & Veggies

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I think that when people hear the words “soba noodles”, they probably immediately think of Japanese food, or maybe noodle soup.  Soba noodles, in fact, are much more versatile than you would think, it can be eaten as a cold dish dipped in a soy/vinegar au jus,  or served tossed with tomato sauce and parmesan cheese.  They are a great low-calorie alternative to regular pasta (about 115 calories per cup, versus 200 calories for regular spaghetti), and loaded with Manganese, which is important in maintaining cellular health.  Soba noodles are usually gluten-free since they are made from buckwheat flour and not from wheat flour, but cheaper versions that mixes wheat flour into the noodles have recently been sold at stores, so be sure to read the labels carefully if you looking for the gluten-free kind.

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Sweet Soba Sesame Noodles

  • 1 (8-ounce) package uncooked soba
  • 1 head of broccoli, raw
  • 1/2 orange bell pepper, cut into 1 inch strips
  • 2 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons sushi vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter  (I used Skippy’s)
  • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds, divided
  • crushed red pepper (if you like it spicy)
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Preparation

  1.  Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add soba; cook 3 minutes.  Turn off stove and let soba rest in the water for an additional 2 minutes.  Drain, do not rinse.
  2. Steam the broccoli – using a steamer basket and a large pot, fill pot shallowly with 1/2 inch of water;  bring to boil.  Wash broccoli;  Cut off the large broccoli stalk up to where the smaller branches begin;  Place entire head of broccoli upside down into steamer basket.  Steam for 4 minutes.  Turn off stove, let broccoli sit in the pot for an additional 3 minutes.  Remove from pot and cut broccoli into desired sized florets.
  3. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with olive oil. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan; grill 6 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan. Cut into 1-inch pieces.
  4. Combine vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, peanut butter, 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, sugar, crushed red pepper, and garlic in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Stir in soba noodles and diced chicken, mix well.  Toss in broccoli and orange peppers  Sprinkle with remaining 1 teaspoon sesame seeds and green onions.

Serves 4.
 460 calories,  12 grams of fat per serving (Serving size 1 1/2 cups)