Vegetarian Yaki Soba

So a few weeks ago I went to this great restaurant in Baltimore, Susie Soba's, and got this fantastic Chicken Yaki Soba dish.  It was spicy but sweet, with wonderful buckwheat soba noodles, chilies, chicken, carrots, onions and snow peas.  Tonight I re-created this glorious dish, sans the chicken, not because it wasn't great but because I just didn't feel like it tonight.  I'll add an option for the chicken or shrimp if you are interested in a non-vegetarian option!

Vegetarian Yaki Soba: Serves 4

8oz Soba Noodles (Buckwheat if you can find them)
2 Carrots
1 Large Onion
1.5-2C Snow Peas
3 Garlic Cloves, Minced
2tsp Minced Ginger
1-3tsp Minced Cherry Peppers
1TB Peanut Oil
Salt & Pepper
1/4C LaChoy Teriyaki Sauce
1TB Soy Sauce
1/4C Chicken or Veggie Stock

In a large pot, bring enough water to cook the pasta to a boil. Salt the water once boiling and add the noodles. Cook per the directions on the package, once finished cooking drain and set to the side.  I found the Soba noodles in the Asian section of my grocery store.  If you cannot find them you can substitute 8oz fettuccine noodles.

While the water is warming up Julienne the peeled carrots by first cutting into 3" chunks, then slices, then match sticks; the idea is that the carrots would be around the same thickness as the noodles. Slice the onion into long strips, and rinse the snow peas.

In a large saute pan heat the oil up over medium heat, add the garlic, ginger and cherry peppers to the pan, and stir - take a note: if you do not like things really spicy use just 1tsp of peppers, I like things hot and was happy with 3tsp of peppers to bring some zing to my mouth. After 30 seconds add the carrots and let it cook for 3-4 minutes, then add onions, and cook for another 1-2 minutes, then toss in the snow peas for 2 minutes, add some salt and pepper.

Once the veggies are done with the above add the teriyaki, soy and stock to the pan and add the cooked noodles to the pan. Toss with the soba noodles and let it heat through for 1-2 minutes, then serve.

Tips: LaChoy brand Teriyaki is thick and sweet. If your teriyaki sauce tastes more like soy sauce then mix 1/8C Soy Sauce, 1/8C water, 2TB Maple Syrup or Honey, 1tsp corn starch and forgo the additional soy sauce that I added. If you do not do the above the dish could be ruined by tasting like a salt stick.

Shrimp or Chicken Addition: If you would like you could add 1/2lb of shrimp or 1 chicken breast. For shrimp, thaw/peel & de-vein, then cook in 1tsp of peanut oil until cooked through on both sides. Put to the side and add at the last minute to the pasta - be careful not to overcook it. If you would like to add chicken, slice the chicken breast into long thin strips, add salt and pepper and cook in the saute pan with 1tsp of peanut oil until cooked through. Set to the side and add at the last minute to the pasta.

__________________________
WW: 6 Points Plus / serving