Ah, we’re finally beginning to get settled in our new apartment. It’s not been fun, and if you’re considering moving I’d suggest thinking about it for a bit more before you do it. Your life gets turned upside down, and you start navigating 60+ boxes (we have been anyway), and before you know it you’ve completely forgotten what box contains that vital thing you were using every day pre-move.

One of my sole consolations with this move is the kitchen. That has made these last few weeks and months mostly worth the stress and frustration. If you have ever been to New York or seen a New York City kitchen at least in pictures or on TV, you’ll know that they are tiny. Some are reminiscent of a kitchen with barely a stove, refrigerator and at least one square foot of counter top space, and unless you pay an arm and a leg you’ll not find kitchens that are much larger than this. Ours was a railroad style and for four years my husband heard me complain constantly about how much I loathed the space. Until now.

Our kitchen is still not huge, but it is definitely bigger. We’ve got more counter top space, a full-sized stove (woo hoo!), a full-sized dishwasher (yay!), and several drawers and cabinets (before we had TWO drawers).

Anyway, we are still in unpacking mode, but I’ve managed to still churn out a few meals in the last week. Today, I decided to finally foray back into the “try something new that I can post on my blog” mode. So hooray – here I am!

Soba noodles, like whole wheat pasta, have a stronger flavor than your basic white pasta. Also known as buckwheat noodles, soba noodles can be found in the Asian section of your local grocery store or in Asian food markets. They come in packages that look similar to this:

Each bunch is wrapped in paper or ribbon (not sure why – maybe to allow you to control portions more easily?), so if you plan to cook the whole package (as I did today) I’d suggest unwrapping each bunch before you put them in otherwise you’ll have noodles in varying degrees of doneness.

Soba Noodles and Asparagus in Peanut Sauce
Inspired by Ginger Peanut Soba Noodles on theppk.com

• One package soba noodles
• 1/3 cup Bragg’s Liquid Aminos or low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 bunch asparagus, chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup chopped onion

Boil or steam the asparagus until tender, then drain and cool.

Prepare the soba noodles according to package directions. If the soba noodles do not have English-language directions, you can boil them in salted water until done which is about 8-10 minutes. Note that the water will get cloudy – this is okay. Once the soba noodles are done, drain them under cold water and add a little oil to make sure they don’t stick together.

In a small bowl whisk together soy sauce, peanut butter, water, oil and garlic powder. Stir in the onion.

Add the sauce to the noodles in a large bowl and toss thoroughly to coat.

Add the cooked asparagus and toss again.

We both enjoyed this, and would love to have it again. I wouldn’t mind trying this with Chinese cabbage or broccoli instead of asparagus, and using fresh garlic next time (didn’t have fresh on hand today). I also would be interested in trying this with cashew butter and toasted cashews as a topper. The possibilities are truly endless!

BTW – If you want it a little spicy you can add hot chili paste, which we both love (although if you’re like me and you don’t want it too hot add a TINY amount first to see how much you can handle).