The peanut sauce was good! - New Recipe

I was really wanting to try to make this peanut sauce again, and to make it right. So after a little experimenting today this stuff was actually very good over the tofu noodles and some broccoli, carrots and cauliflower. It's still not 100% fantastic but it is a welcome change from plain vegetables and olive oil. There were several things that went wrong with this recipe the other night: I burnt the peanut butter in the pan, I added too much cayenne, I used agave nectar which has it's own distinct flavor and added too much flavor to the sauce, I waited too long to add all of the liquid ingredients, and I added a dash of olive oil - which it did not need at all. I also found that the trick to getting this just right is to add the liquid ingredients first, one at a time.

So here is the new and improved recipe:

1/4 to 1/2 cup all natural organic peanut butter (ingredients will say just peanuts)
2 teaspoons honey
2 tablespoons naturally brewed soy sauce
1 tablespoon vinegar (I did not have rice vinegar so I used regular - next time I will try rice vinegar)
2 teaspoons ground ginger
barely 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 cup all natural coconut milk divided into two 1/4 cups (they do carry this at Meijer btw, in the asian / ethnic section for only $1.79 a can)

In a medium sauce pan over very low heat add the peanut butter. Let the peanut butter melt just slightly and then add one 1/4 cup of coconut milk. Stir gently until peanut butter is mixed and melted into the coconut. Coconut milk loses it's flavor as it is heated so that is why it is important to divide the coconut milk - you do not want to add it all at once. Stir in the soy sauce and vinegar until it is well mixed. Add the dry ingredients next. Continue to stir the sauce and adjust the heat as necessary to prevent this from scorching. Add the last half of the coconut milk just before you remove the pan from the heat. This will help retain some of the coconut flavor. Remove from heat. Pour over your favorite dish. Or use as a dipping sauce for chicken, fish or beef.

Tasty Tuesday - Peanut Sauce - includes Daniel Fast approved version

Peanut sauce is traditionally used in asian cuisine. It is used with meat dishes, like chicken skewers, with noodle dishes or even on top of vegetables. Peanut sauce uses a combination of sweet, salty, and spicy flavors to add to it's unique taste. Because this recipe uses peanut butter and coconut milk it is not really a low calorie sauce, but when it is used sparingly over vegetables it can add some life to your otherwise bland veggies and (whole wheat or tofu) noodles. I am planning to make this over some tofu shiratake noodles (I found these in the organic and vegetarian section at Meijer btw! If you decide to use these be sure to rinse them very, very well and pat them with a paper towel until they are super dry.) and some steamed broccoli.


Peanut Sauce

1/4 cup all natural peanut butter - chunky or creamy.
2 teaspoons honey, maple syrup, or brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes
1/3 cup coconut milk - this is sometimes hard to find so you can substitute this with vanilla soymilk or just plain water.

Place all ingredients for sauce together in a small saucepan over medium to low heat. Whisk until smooth. Stir gently until sauce begins to thicken. Add water if needed to get desired consistency. Serve immediately.

I am still following the fast but not as strictly as before because I've added a few more ingredients to my diet like tofu and some canned items that have minimal oil or sugar in them. Here is an alternative version to this recipe that I will be using to stick to my fast:

(Daniel Fast Version)

1/4 cup all natural organic peanut butter or almond butter.
2 teaspoons agave nectar (I may make an acception to this and allow honey for this recipe because the agave nectar is very expensive.)
2 tablespoons all natural low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/3 cup all natural coconut milk, almond milk or soy milk.

Instructions same as above.