This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Most people get in shape right before summer and stay that way. They eat salads. Fruit. Smoothies. They exercise harder, and more often. It is, after all, bikini season, and we must look good.
But I am not most people. I eat more. I drink more. I have less time to exercise.
For me, summer is all about DOING. I’m always bouncing around from happy hour or dinner on most weeknights. There are weddings with hors d’oeuvres and cake (and I don’t even like cake that much!) I can’t say no to. There are weekend vacations where all I want to do is go out to eat. There are Friday afternoons after work when all I want to do is go sit on a patio, have a cocktail and snack on some nachos or mini corn dogs. There are baseball games where I eat my weight in hot dogs. There are screened-in porch nights where Kevin and I grill brats and hamburgers while sipping on ice-cold beers and snacking on cheese, salami and crackers.
Basically, I’m constantly eating.
In the past, I’ve always gotten into great shape right as summer begins and then kind of lose interest the deeper we get into the season. By the time August rolls around, I’m five pounds heavier, and not feeling so great about lying at the pool in a bikini.
This year, I don’t want to let that happen. I started on a slippery with my eating and exercise habits during our May trip, always finding an excuse to skip my exercise routine or eat like a pig night after night. So from now on, I’m going to do my best to eat relatively healthy most of the time. Weekdays will be full of light dinners, smoothies for lunch and heart-healthy eggs or avocado toast for breakfast. I will exercise at least three days a week. I will not let summer get me like I have in the past.
I’ve been on a roll lately with lighter dinners –these Strawberry Chicken Burgers were to-die-for, this Swordfish Souvlaki didn’t make me feel like a blimp after I was done eating, and these salmon sliders with peanut sauce, well, those, I’m still dreaming about.
So last week, Kevin was out of town for a few days for work, I took it upon myself to whip up a quick and healthy dinner instead of breaking out all my secret food vices like Kraft mac and cheese or pasta-roni as I normally would.
After I pretty much perfected the above peanut sauce to my taste, I’ve been inclined to slather the stuff on just about everything. I’d been craving peanut noodles of some sort for months, so I decided to go that route, but to keep it super light, I skipped the traditional noodle and broke out the spiralizer my Mom got me for Easter instead. While the spiralizer is not something I use that often, it’s definitely a nice change every once in a while when I’m feeling a little over served in the food department.
The recipe is simple; chopped red peppers, snow peas, bean sprouts, green onins and shredded carrots are stir-fried in a little bit of olive oil until they’re slightly cooked, but still very crisp.. The zucchini noodles are also sautéed in a little bit of olive oil until they’re softened (you might need to drain out any liquid that accumulates since zucchini has a high moisture content). The veggies are added back in along with the peanut sauce, simmered for just a few minutes and then the whole dish is topped off with chopped peanuts and little more green onion for garnish.
Here’s a little tip, if you’re only cooking for one or two people, the salad bar at the grocery store is going to be your best friend. There, you can get pretty much any produce ingredient in a small quantity you need to whip up an amazing (cheap!) meal. For this particular dish, I picked up some sliced red peppers, snow peas, shredded carrots, chopped peanuts, pre-chopped green onions and bean sprouts from the salad bar next to my work for a whopping $3.00; buying each ingredient separately would have probably run me about $10. And this doesn’t just work for this particular meal, I do this for everything from stir-fry to soups, just load up on all the ingredients you can at the salad bar and then snatch up whatever else you need in the other parts of the store. Dinner made easy.
Hope you guys have a great Monday!
Asian noodles made with zucchini, instead of pasta, and tossed in the MOST delicious peanut sauce.
Ingredients
- 3 zucchini
- ½ cup shredded carrot
- ½ cup sliced green onion
- ½ cup chopped red pepper
- ½ cup bean sprouts
- 1 batch peanut sauce
- ¼ cup chopped peanuts
Instructions
- Using a spiralizer, cut the squash into linguini sized noodles, it should be the second biggest blade. Cut into linguini length using kitchen shears.
- In a large non-stick pan or seasoned wok, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil to a high heat. Add carrots, red pepper and bean sprouts. Stir-fry for two minutes, until slightly softened, but still crisp. Remove from pan.
- Add one more teaspoon of olive oil to the pan. Heat to a medium-high. Add zucchini noodles, stir-fry until softened, about 4-5 minutes. When softened, drain out any additional liquid.
- Add veggies, 1/3 cup green onion and peanut sauce back to the pan. Stir-fry anther 2-3 minutes.
- Granish with chopped peanuts and remaining green onion.
Ashley says
I really need to make zucchini noodles happen at home – this looks awesome. And there’s peanut sauce involved, so yeah. That will always win me over! : )
Nicole says
You do! You’d love them Ashley! I know, right, peanut sauce always sounds good.
Kathy @ Olives & Garlic says
Lately I’ve been adding zucchini noodles to everything. This is such a creative recipe.
Nicole says
Thanks Kathy!
Alaina-Fabtastic Eats says
I’m totally with you there..I drink way more and eat far more often in the summer. It’s all just SO good! Admittedly I have been trying this year to chill out with the 3-day a week cheeseburger habit that I’m usually in by now!
I recently got a spuralizer & am loving it. Peanut noodles are a fav of ours too! Definitely trying this soon, great swap!
Nicole says
I know, it’s so hard! All I want is burgers and hot dogs and all that horrible stuff for you! Thanks girl!
Isadora @ she likes food says
I’m pretty much always eating too! Even as I say to myself that I need to stop eating so much and get into summer shape, good food is just too hard to pass up! I made my first ever peanut sauce a few days ago and now I want to make it all the time. This dish looks so good and like such a great way to load up on vegetables!
Nicole says
Summer food is SO good, and there’s so much of it ALL THE TIME! Thanks Isadora!
Olivia - Primavera Kitchen says
I love everything that peanut sauce is involved. Great recipe 😉
Nicole says
Thanks Olivia!
Jess @ On Sugar Mountain says
Yeah I always gain more weight during the summer than the winter. It gets too hot out for me to want to turn on the oven, which translates to me ordering ENTIRELY too much takeout. These zucchini noodles might solve all my problems, though! Cure the takeout craving with a healthy homemade meal! 😀
Nicole says
I’m glad I’m not the only one, I feel like everyone is melting away and I just keep packing on the pounds! Ha!
Bri | Bites of Bri says
This looks crazy good. My mouth is watering!!!
Nicole says
Thanks Bri!
Laura | Fork Knife Swoon says
I completely feel you re: working out in the Summer. My daily jogging routine quickly ended once the temps soared into the 90’s/100’s… at like 9am. And this sounds SO good! I love zucchini noodles, especially when it is so hot out. And tossed with veggies and peanut sauce? Yum 🙂
Nicole says
Oh lord, we haven’t hit that point yet, and I’m STILL finding excuses not to get my workout in! Thanks Laura!
Medha @ Whisk & Shout says
Girl, I’m constantly eating too! When it’s too hot out I always say I’m gonna hit the gym but… This looks amazing! Love the lightened up noodles and the delicious peanut sauce. Yum 🙂
Nicole says
Ughhh I know, I wish I could just push through and get it over with! Thanks Medha!
Maggie says
This sounds awesome! I’m sort of ashamed to admit it but Kraft mac and cheese doesn’t sound too bad, either. 🙂
Nicole says
Hahaha no shame!!! If I wasn’t watching my weight, I would have totally gotten down with some kraft mac and cheese!