A New Adventure

I've never considered myself to be an adventurous person. I have lived my entire life within a five mile radius (probably less than five miles, but I don't want to sound too lame here). The friends I have today are the same friends I ran around with as a kid. I have not traveled overseas or taken part in anything (extremely) risky. My life has always been made up of routine and traditions, certainly a fine (and very safe) way to live.

Over the past year, the word adventure has slowly crept into my vocabulary. I have tried new things on my own and created a bucket list. Some of this can probably be attributed to Jason's influence. I mean, the guy backpacked alone through India, Nepal, Germany, etc. just for fun. But I have to say, the latest and greatest adventure has been going vegan! I never imagined that starting a new diet would feel like such an invigorating journey. There is so much to learn about different foods, cooking techniques, health benefits, and other cultures. 

This weekend, we made stops at our local farmers' market, the oriental market, the Indian store, and Costco (bulk produce for our juicing needs). We picked up some ingredients for a new recipe based off of a noodle recipe we found online. Here's our version:

Udon noodles

Broccolini

Red onion

Shiitake mushrooms

Carrots

A bit of oil

1 inch chopped ginger

Thai chilies (to taste)

3 cloves garlic

2 cups vegetable broth, mixed with 2 teaspoons corn starch

2 teaspoons Chinese five spice

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/2 cup light coconut milk

Toasted sesame seeds

Sriracha (to taste)

-NOODLES: Cook dry Udon noodles according to package instructions. The instructions on our package were in Japanese, so we guessed about 5-7 minutes.

-VEG: Preheat pan over medium high heat. Throw in veggies and a little water. Cover with lid and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring a few times and adding more water if the veg starts to stick and burn. Veg will turn vibrant in color and should retain some crunch. When done, remove from pan and set aside.

-SAUCE: Add a small amount of oil to pan. Add ginger, chilies, and garlic. Cook for 30 seconds. Add vegetable broth/corn starch mix, Chinese five spice, and soy sauce. Bring to a boil and cook for a few minutes to thicken. Turn heat to low, add coconut milk.

-FINAL ASSEMBLY: Add noodles and veggies to pan. Mix with sauce and heat through. Top with toasted sesame seeds and Sriracha and you're ready to go! Trust me, you won't miss the meat!