Vegan Pad Thai with Cucumber Salad

So another Friday night recipe.  This is where I veer slightly from my strict whole-foods concepts.  I still try to make wise and healthy choices, but there are a few processed foods that make Friday meals easier (but it's still vegan and my choices for the processed foods are still thoughtful).

The processed foods in tonight's meal included a jar of peanut butter (only ingredients were peanuts and salt) along with some coconut aminos.  Oh, and I guess tofu and rice vinegar are processed foods too.  Still, not dreadful on the scale of possibilities for processed foods.

I prepped everything earlier in the day so at dinner time it's mostly a matter of warming up the foods and setting out the additions.

I make the sauce on the stove, and before you ask, sadly this is one of the times where I didn't measure anything so I can only tell you what I put in but not how much.

SAUCE
I took a saucepan and warmed up:

• Peanut butter (no ingredients other than peanuts and salt)
• Rice vinegar
• Grated ginger
• Minced garlic
• Coconut aminos (you can use Bragg's instead)
• Maple syrup (not too much)
• Lime (see below)

When I reheat the sauce before serving, I add the juice of a couple limes after I've heated it.  Just add the juice and stir it in.

TOFU

• Tofu
• Veggie broth
• Coconut aminos
• Sesame seeds
• Garlic powder
• Salt

I prepared the tofu ahead of time by cutting it up (I use extra firm, so never have to squeeze the liquid out) and searing it in a non-stick frying pan with a little veggie broth and coconut aminos.  I flip the pieces as they brown and toward the end I sprinkle on sesame seeds, garlic powder, and salt (not too much).

I have some friends that use the oven instead for cooking their tofu.  They marinate the tofu first, so I may try that next time.

VEGGIES

• Red bell pepper
• Carrots
• Cabbage
• Scallions
• Cilantro
• Mung Sprouts
• Limes

I cut all the veggies up to be uniform in size.  They don't need to be cooked, so I just set them out (buffet style) while the noodles are cooking.

NOODLES

I start to cook the rice noodles.  While the noodles are cooking, I re-warm up the peanut sauce.

When the noodles are al dente I drain them, rinse them, and throw a small olive oil and rice vinegar mixture on them just to keep the noodles from sticking together (and to impart a bit of extra flavor in them).

Then I add the lime to the peanut butter sauce, stir well, and pour the sauce over the noodles and stir gently.

Then we all "build our own".  Mine looks something like this...

• Cabbage, carrots, bell pepper on the bottom
• Sauced noodles 
• Mung sprouts
• Tofu
• Then the toppings: scallions, cilantro, chopped peanuts, more lime

I served this with a cucumber salad on the side (cucumbers, red onion, rice vinegar, salt, maple syrup).

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