Sesame noodles are one of my favorite quick meals, from beginning to end you can have them on the table in about 15 minutes. Coated in a creamy and sesame-nutty sauce, I’ve reduced the fat, used whole-grain noodles, and boosted the veggies to make this a healthy and guilt-free version.

I am addicted to pasta of all varieties and can eat it by the plate-full. In order to curb my carb intake, I’ve created a new household rule. When preparing a pasta dish, you must use a pasta to veggie ratio of 1:1. With these sesame noodles, I used tender and sweet sugar-snap peas, bean sprouts, and green onions. You could easily substitute with whatever veggies you have on hand … broccoli, spinach, or water chestnuts.

Over the weekend, I picked up a package of Japanese buckwheat noodles. I hadn’t realized that they contained a good amount of fiber — what a great discovery! So often, ‘healthy’ whole-grain pastas taste like twigs or cardboard. Look for buckwheat noodles in your ethnic foods aisle or in any Asian market. The noodles I purchased only take 5 minutes to cook, so this makes for a quick meal.

Buckwheat Sesame Noodles

8 oz. buckwheat noodles
8 oz. sugar-snap peas, trimmed
1 1/2 cups bean sprouts
4 green onions, chopped
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
2 tablespoons reduced-fat peanut butter (Smart Balance)
1 tablespoon non-fat greek-style yogurt (Oikos)
4 tablespoons lite soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon chili oil

In a small bowl, prepare the sauce by whisking together the peanut butter, yogurt, soy sauce, sesame oil, and chili oil. Set aside.

In a large pot, bring water to a boil and add buckwheat noodles. The buckwheat noodles take about 5 minutes to cook but I also need to blanch the peas. After 2 minutes of cooking I add the peas to the noodles and continue cooking until I’ve reached the full 5 minutes. Pour into a colander and immediately rinse with cold water to stop the noodles and peas from cooking.

In a large bowl, toss the noodles and peas with the sauce. Once coated, toss in the bean sprouts and green onion. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.

I prefer to serve these noodles at room temperature. In addition to customizing the vegetables used in the dish, you can also add a bit of roasted chicken breast to add protein and more substance.