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This week’s blogger secret ingredient (hosted over at eating bender) is my favorite – butternut squash!  I saw that Gina’s recipe for peanut noodles had coconut milk (and I had an open can in my fridge), so that’s what gave me the idea for this dish.  I used some other favorites as well – shirataki noodles and almond butter.

Butternut Squash “Pad Thai”

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups chopped butternut squash – about half of a small squash
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 18 ounces shirataki noodles (probably equivalent to 4-5 servings of pasta)
• dash of salt
• 1.5 cups light coconut milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon each: chili powder, garlic powder, cinnamon, cumin, and Asian 5-spice powder (you can switch these up however you like, or use your own mixture)
• 2 tablespoons almond butter (or peanut butter) – I used a mix of the two, but mostly almond butter
• large handful of fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
• 1 shredded carrot
• 1 cup fresh bean sprouts

Directions

1. Prep the butternut squash – I chopped mine in half and microwaved the half I was going to use for 1 minute.  This makes it much easier to peel and chop.  Refrigerate the other half.
2. Heat the sesame oil over medium-high heat.  Add the butternut squash and saute over medium heat for about 15 minutes.  After 10 minutes, add the oregano.
3. Boil the drained shirataki noodles in salted water for 10 minutes.  Then drain.  Make the sauce while these are cooking.
4. Making the sauce: heat the coconut oil, water, and soy sauce over medium heat in a saucepan.  Add the spices and nut butter; whisk until the sauce is smooth and the nut butter has dissolved.  For a thicker sauce, just cook it until it reaches your desired consistency.
5. Mix everything together in a large bowl; add the fresh basil, raw carrot, and bean sprouts.
6. Serve – Bobby had his with rice, I had mine plain.  Feel free to add more carrots or bean sprouts as desired.

Here are other posts I’ve written about the lovely Mr. Butternut:

• Okra Squash Shrimp “Gumbo”
• Butternut Squash and Carrots with Delicious Basil
• Butternut Squash Fries

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• 5 May, 2009 -- Random experiments – burdock, pad thai!