Thai-Style Peanut Pasta

Over the years I have tried a number of Thai inspired peanut pasta dishes, but none of them were just right…until I blended a number of them together to create the perfect Thai style noodles. These aren’t spicy, so if you like spice, you may want to add crushed red pepper or Thai hot sauce to the peanut sauce. This is delicious, though, and if there is any left over, it makes a great lunch.

Thai-Style Peanut Pasta Peanut Sauce: 3 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter 1 Tablespoon sesame oil 2 Tablespoons agave nectar 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 1. Microwave the peanut butter for 30 seconds in a glass bowl. Stir in other ingredients, blending until thoroughly mixed. Set aside while you prepare the pasta. Pasta: 1 pound linguine 1 Tablespoon grapeseed oil 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and julienned 1 yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and julienned 1 orange bell pepper, cored, seeded, and julienned 1 cup carrots, julienned 1 cup bean sprouts 3/4 cup roasted, salted cashews, coarsely chopped 1 bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped 1 bunch scallions, green parts thinly sliced 1. Prepare linguine according to package directions. When prepared, drain pasta and put in a large serving dish. 2. While pasta is cooking, heat grapeseed oil over medium-high heat in a medium frying pan. Add bell peppers and carrots, sauteeing for 4 minutes, or until tender-crisp. Remove from heat and put bell peppers and carrots in bowl with pasta. 3. In the same pan, reduce heat to medium and cook bean sprouts for about 2 minutes, or just until heated. Pour bean sprouts onto pasta. Add cashews, cilantro and scallions to pasta and mix thoroughly. Pour peanut sauce over pasta and mix thoroughly. Serve immediately.