Sesame Noodle Pasta by Laura Lea Balanced Cookbook

A wildly delicious Sesame Noodle Pasta with crunchy veggies wrapped in a peanut butter and tahini sauce from the Laura Lea Balanced Cookbook. 

I couldn’t be more excited to share a recipe from the lovely Laura Lea’s new cookbook, Laura Lea Balanced! Once I found out about Laura Lea, I feel so in love with her simple recipes that turn comfort food into a healthy affair. I remember first spotting Laura Lea on IG Stories, as she was recipe testing healthy blueberry donuts. I mean, healthy donuts?! I was sold and I knew that if anyone was making donuts healthy, then I needed to follow them, immediately. Then the next morning I opened to a gorgeous photo of blueberry donuts on IG! First, she made them sound delicious and now made them look utterly delicious. I tried the donuts the following weekend and was completely smitten!

I adore Laura Lea for her genuine passion for sharing the types of food that empower and enliven your spirit and body. She is also a fountain of knowledge, sharing practical advice and tips on healthy eating, daily. Her genuine excitement for living a healthy lifestyle oozes from the pages of her book and website, making you want to cook every single recipe she’s ever made (I personally love her vegan lasagna and blueberry donuts)! She is a breath of fresh air in a space that can be at times restricting and diet limiting.

Her book is a collection of healthy comfort foods that is a testament to flexible eating - letting the reader choose what type of meal they’d like for the day. Maybe vegan, or a recipe with seafood, meat or poultry. You name it; she has it (also with the appropriate marker, so you know exactly what you’re getting). And for today I am thrilled to share one recipe that immediately caught my eye - Sesame Noodle Pasta! I cannot recommend this recipe and her book enough. Especially if you’re looking for a cookbook that is brimming with weeknight meals, weekly meal plans, understanding the ins and outs of cooking (also fantastic for the novice cook!), or just excited to dive into a book that truly makes eating healthy fun and delicious – this book is for you. Actually, it’s for everyone :)

This is weeknight comfort food at its best – pasta noodles twisted into a creamy peanut butter and tahini sauce, speckled with sesame seeds and crunchy veggies. A dish that is easy enough to make when you’re in a pinch for time, yet still exceptional enough to bring to a party for all your friends to enjoy. I devoured my plate in minutes and kept coming right back to the pot for another spoonful. The subtle aroma of nutty sesame oil perfuming the cream sauce is the richness that brings you back for more. I’m tellin’ ya, you guys have to make this one. It’s a keeper…as is everything in Laura Lea’s book.

And if you haven’t check out Laura Lea’s cookbook or website (which is one of my favorites) then you’re in for a treat! You can connect with Laura Lea through the links below :)

Website: http://llbalanced.com

IG: https://www.instagram.com/lauraleabalanced/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/llbalanced

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiBhztXVz0qqrCUqMy8pMeA

Thank you Laura Lea for sharing this amazing recipe with us! Was absolutely a pleasure reading your book and narrowing down my search for the perfect weeknight dish to this recipe (although, I bookmarked nearly 17 others!).

xx Marie

Photo by: Laura Lea from LL Balanced Cookbook

Cold Sesame Noodles:

Yield: 4-8 servings (4 as an entree, 8 as a side dish)

Prep Time (doesn’t include noodles): 10 minutes

Cook Time: 0

Passive Time: 1 hour

1, 8 ounce box spaghetti noodles (Cooked according to package directions, drained and set aside in a large bowl. *Note: If pasta is going to sit out for longer then 20 minutes before you add sauce to it, toss noodles with 1 teaspoon olive, coconut or toasted sesame oil to prevent them from sticking together)

1/4 cup tahini paste

1/4 cup unsweetened, unsalted peanut butter

1/4 cup toasted sesame oil

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon low-sodium tamari or soy sauce

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon Sriracha

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 packed teaspoon freshly grated ginger (sub 1/4 teaspoon ground)

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

6 tablespoons water

Optional garnish: thinly sliced scallions, thinly sliced purple cabbage, sesame seeds

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients except noodles, in the order listed, in a medium-sized mixing bowl and whisk to incorporate thoroughly. Stir half of the sauce into the bowl of noodles. Taste and add more sauce as you like. I add it all in, because I like really sauce-y noodles and I find they dry out in the fridge. You can also cover and refrigerate leftover sauce and add later.

Place in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before enjoying. Noodles will keep for 5 days.

I hope you love this pasta! And if you make these please tag both of us on Instagram @marie.reginato & @lauraleabalanced, so we can see your creation! xx

And thank you to the lovely Laura Lea for sharing her delicious recipe with us! Her book is a gold-mine for healthy recipes with simple tips and tricks to implement into your everyday life. Enjoy!