Super peanut sauce ( for veggie and noodle stir-fry/whatever you choose)

There's no use pretending otherwise, I have a severe weakness for peanut butter. I'm guessing I'm not alone in this, too. In fact, Dave has this firm (but unfounded) belief that all Americans are crazy about it. Due, I'm guessing, to a few American students studying at St. Andrew's over a decade and a half ago now, myself included, who had no qualms about eating it  straight out of the jar.

peanut_sauce

Today, with the rise in nut allergies and a shunning of legumes in the Paleo diet, it feels like confessional acknowledging: I really do like peanut butter. But if you can and do choose to eat peanuts, this simple, slightly sweet and tangy sauce is a really fast and versatile way to throw together a meal out of "whatever".

One day, I will finally follow through on my longtime promise to myself to develop at least a semblance of skills with my camera. Not only does this taste better than the picture looks, it looks better in person. One day too, I'll try substituting sunbutter, or something similar, in an effort to alleviate the unreasonable guilt that I'm not allergic. I'll let you know how it goes. (Or, you can try it, and tell me?)

Peanut Sauce For stir-fry serving 3-4

  • 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • dash ground ginger
  • up to 1 tablespoon honey (I used about 1 1/2 teaspoons)
  • *optional up to a tablespoon soy sauce or Bragg's liquid aminos

Whisk all ingredients together until smooth. (Or, you can take a hurried and possibly lazy approach like I have been, and shake everything around wildly in a tightly-lidded jar while entertaining an active baby.) Mix into stir-fry assortment of choice in wok or skillet. *I'm sure any chef would scoff at this decision, but I slightly steamed--because I like them that way-- a mix of chopped veggies (1 crown broccoli, a red pepper, a yellow pepper, a carrot, and some cherry tomatoes) in a small amount of water in a large skillet, then added cooked Asian egg noodles and sauce and stirred to combine. Serve warm or chilled.