Sugar snap peas have almost no sodium but so much flavor and an amazing crunch. Roast them with a little garlic and sesame oil for a versatile side dish. For an easy, vegetarian meal, add roasted sugar snap peas to a salad of noodles and mint, tossed in a creamy peanut sesame dressing. For an even heartier meal, add some sautéed or grilled shrimp to the salad as well.
Servings: Makes 4 servings
Sodium: Less than 10 mg per serving Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients for roasted sugar snap peas:
1 pound sugar snap peas, trimmed
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
ground black pepper to taste
Additional ingredients for noodle salad:
1 pound of pasta, cooked according to package
1 cup mint leaves, chopped
chili flakes and toasted sesame seeds to taste
Dressing ingredients:
3 tablespoons unsalted peanut butter
5 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon unsalted mustard (or 1 tsp ground mustard)
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
2 tsp dried chili flakes (optional)
1) If you're planning to make the noodle salad, make the dressing first so it can chill. Add all dressing ingredients to a large jar and shake to combine, or whisk in a large bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.
2) Preheat oven to 425°F.
3) Trim the sugar snap peas by cutting off the ends. If you prefer, pull off the string that runs down the sides of the pods when you cut off the ends. They can be a little tough. If your peas are pretty fresh, I find that just trimming the ends is good enough. Toss the peas with 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 4 cloves of minced garlic, 1/4 teaspoon onion powder, and black pepper to taste. Toss to coat evenly and spread out on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
4) Transfer the baking sheet to the preheated oven and roast for about 8 minutes. While the sugar snap peas are baking, cook your pasta according to the package directions and set aside. As soon as the peas are done, toss them with the hot pasta in a large bowl and let them cool. After about 10 minutes, add the chopped mint. You don't want the mint to cook so make sure the pasta is cool enough before adding the mint. Toss with dressing and serve. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and chili flakes.
