Peanut Butter + Banana Noodles

We recently ordered peanut noodles from a local Chinese restaurant, but they were so sad. 

I was in love with the idea that they could marry two of my son's favorite things to eat: peanut butter and noodles. 
It sounded like a no-brainer.

Sadly, what we got was a large clump of overcooked noodles with a thick, beige, glue-like substance that tasted more like wax, than peanut butter. Wa.

I figured I could give this concept a go, 
but I took it an extra step by adding Elias' third favorite food, bananas.

I don't want to be one of those mom's who says, "even your child will eat this!"; because truth be told, that would be annoying. 

But, these are so good that even your child will eat them.

I fed him the noodles, with the peanut sauce and bananas, but then I added my own ingredients to make it more adult friendly.

See what you think. 

Bad Picture, But You Catch My Drift

Doctored-Up

Recipe adapted from Gourmet Magazine, 2002

Ingredients:

1 cup of peanut butter

1/4 cup of soy sauce

1/3 cup of warm pasta water

2 tbsp. chopped fresh ginger

1 garlic clove, chopped

2 tbsp. rice vinegar

2 tbsp. sesame oil

1 tbsp. honey

1 tsp. rooster sauce

squeeze of lime juice

1 lb. noodles (I used red rice noodles, because they are gluten free, but the recipe calls for soba. Also, whole wheat thin spaghetti would work)

4 scallions, sliced thin

1/2 red pepper, sliced thin

1/2 cucumber, sliced thin

1 cup of sprouts

1 cup cilantro, chopped

toasted sesame seeds

Optional:

Banana, sliced 

grilled chicken, shrimp....

Directions:

1. Mix the first 10 ingredients

2. Cook noodles to package directions; or soak rice noodles to package directions

3. For kid's version just toss the noodles and the sauce, and add the sliced banana (optional: toss with sesame seeds)

4. For adult's version, toss the noodles, sauce and remaining ingredients. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. 

Optional:

Serve with extra chopped cilantro, extra chopped peanuts, rooster sauce, lime slices

Enjoy!!