Suppertime Survival has a great opening section that explains how the recipes in the book are categorized. The categories are based on time, a unique and practical way to organize a cookbook. There is a section devoted to ‘Anytime Meals’ – meals that can be prepared in just 15-20 minutes. There is the ‘Quick Fixes’ section, for meals that take about 30 minutes to prepare, and a ‘Make-Ahead’ section to get you started on future Quick Fixes.
This book has an excellent, in-depth discussion about healthy eating (called “Balancing Your Plate”), as well as some very good information about minerals and vitamins. I found the section easy to read, with interesting and relevant information. The authors did a great job of explaining why they focused on healthy eating and brought into play the current rise of obesity in our culture.
I chose one recipe to make specifically to review here – Spicy Noodles with Chicken in Peanut Sauce. I thought it was something my family may not normally eat, and it gave me the chance to sneak in the whole wheat pasta on Mr. Chef. This recipe was great – Very Yummy, according to my husband (high praise, indeed). I screwed up the recipe by adding 2 Tablespoons of sugar instead of 2 teaspoons, but I think I was able to fish out some of the sugar. I also did not have rice wine vinegar, so I used a regular wine vinegar instead. I also did not have any crushed chilies, so I used a sprinkle of pepper flakes, and dried ginger instead of fresh. This was a very tasty recipe. I was worried that the peanut butter in it might be overpowering, but it added a very nice ‘something’ to the recipe. It was also a big draw for my kids, aged 4 and 6, who thought spaghetti with peanut butter was a great idea. This recipe made exactly four servings, with no leftovers. Perfect.
Spicy Noodles with Chicken in Peanut Sauce.
1/2 375gr package whole wheat spaghetti noodles
2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 medium red pepper, julienned
3 green onions, chopped
2 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter
2 Tbsp. sodium reduced soy sauce (regular, if that’s all you have)
1/2 cup chicken stock (one cube disolved in half cup of warm water works, as well)
1 Tbsp. rice wine vigegar
2 tsp. packed brown sugar OR honey
1 tsp each minced garlic and ginger
1/4 to 1/2 tsp crushed red chilies
1 cup shredded cooked chicken
1/4 cup chopped unsalted peanuts
Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water, about 8 minutes or until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water and drain the rest off.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet heat oil over medium-high heat; add the peppers and green onions. Stir fry for about 4 minutes and reduce heat to medium. Stir in peanut butter, soy sauce, water, stock, vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and chilies. Mix until well blended. Add chicken, reduce heat, and simmer until chicken is heated through – about 2 to 3 minutes. The sauce should thicken slightly.
You can add the noodles directly to the sauce, like the actual recipe says, or you can serve the veggies and chicken over the pasta, which is what I did. I probably would have tossed the noodles in if I had read that part of the recipe while cooking it. If the sauce seems a little thick, add the reserved water a little at a time until you get the consistency you like. Garnish the dish with the chopped peanuts.