Hot Dogs and Soba Noodles with Peanut Sauce (not together!)

One of my quick need something in under 5 minutes lunch (or even dinner!) ideas is Applegate Farms beef hot dogs which are super straight-forward and not even a recipe, per se. For a dinner idea, I’m giving you one of my reoccurring favorites - Thai peanut sauce with soba noodles. I’ll mix in any variety of veggies or proteins depending on what I have. Check these out for your meal idea rotations!

Hot Dogs

Applegate Farms (and Teton as another brand) are 100% grass-fed beef, no added nitrates or nitrites (which can be carcinogenic) and no antibiotics or added hormones = Check check check!

They also freeze fine if you stockpile them on sale plus are carried at Trader Joe’s. I saute these quickly in avocado oil or ghee and eat one on toasted Dave’s bread with some ketchup and mustard. Throw some veggies or a super fast salad with it and it’s a complete meal. I’ve even been known to have cooked hot dogs already stored in the fridge and make this one of my “make it ahead and wrap it up in a paper towel in a cooler bag for lunch on the go” items. I invariably have one or both of the kids wanting a bite, so I often end up prepping up two! Just be careful if you’re using hot dog buns, they are notorious for added sugar, additives and other junk.

My hot dog assembly:

• Hot dog sauteed in a saucepan for a couple of minutes.

• Dave’s Killer Bread toasted

• Condiments of choice!

Soba Noodles with Peanut Sauce

I’m a BIG fan of asian noodle dishes…. all kinds really. This is a staple as it’s easy to prep ahead (make the sauce and/or cut veggies) plus uses fresh ginger and fresh garlic (both of which have endless health benefits). It’s also very flexible with whatever other ingredients you use.

The sauce is modified from a www.foxandbriar.com recipe, but I omit the chili garlic sauce and nix the brown sugar in place of a smaller amount of maple syrup. I always double the recipe too, since it doesn’t ever seem to be enough… the amounts below are actually doubled from the original. For the noodles, any Asian rice noodles will work but I prefer buckwheat soba noodles for their added protein, fiber and lower starch composition.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup natural unsweetened peanut butter

• 4 TBSP low sodium soy sauce (tamari or coconut aminos for gluten free)

• 2 TBSP rice vinegar

• 1 TBSP maple syrup (add 1 more if you like it sweeter but remember the sugar adds up!)

• 2 TBSP lime juice

• 6 garlic cloves, pressed or grated

• 2 TBSP fresh ginger root grated (you can use the skin!)

• 4-8 TBSP warm water at the end to thin the sauce

• Buckwheat soba noodles, cooked according to package. Can be served warmed or chilled.

• Cilantro for optional garnish that adds a nice flavor.

• Veggies of choice - I often use shredded carrots, bagged cabbage, sliced bell peppers or frozen broccoli.

• Optional protein — sometimes I do this plant based and other times I add some frozen wild caught Whole Foods shrimp. They have to be thawed and then sauteed a couple minutes per side until cooked translucent throughout.

Assembly:

• Mix the sauce by whisking together all ingredients except the water. Add the water 1 TBSP at a time, whisking in slowly to your desired consistency. I usually make it earlier in the day.

• Cut veggies (I often prep these ahead) into long slices. I love pre-bagged cabbage and frozen broccoli florets for this. I’ll saute all veggies in a skillet with some avocado oil, ghee or a touch of sesame oil for flavor. The shrimp can be cooked in the same skillet as the veggies if it’s large enough.

• Assemble noodles, veggies, sauce on top, optional cilantro, optional shrimp or other protein. Mix to combine or serve as is! Ideally store leftovers separately since it will get gummy if stored assembled.