I did not grow up eating ramen for a variety of reasons. My brother has a myriad of food allergies, and that prompted my mom to make most things from scratch and wasn’t able to use any seasoning packets. Things like taco seasoning and gravy packets still befuddle me. Imagine, if you will, trying Cup of Noodles for the first time as an independent college student excited to be completely in charge of my food for once. Do you know the scene in Ratatouille where Remi the rat is experiencing flavors as fireworks exploding in various colors in his mind? That was me. I ate them for about a month straight until I couldn’t stand putting any more salt and noodles into my body. Even now, I love a nice Cup of Noodles to bring me back to that sense of freedom and recently discovered MSG explosions in my brain.

I like to think of this Peanut Noodle Stir Up as a version of ramen noodles that are still delightfully springy, but with a little added protein and veg to keep my body running like I want it to. The color from the veggies is also a beautiful addition to the light brown palette of a standard cup of ramen.

I love keeping this meal in my back pocket for weeks that our menu plan doesn’t stretch as long as I think it will. I almost always have the ingredients on hand. Fresh broccoli hanging out in the crisper, our 5 pound bag of carrots taking up the bottom shelf of the fridge, frozen edamame, peanut butter, and ramen.

This recipe was adapted from the fabulous “What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking” by Caroline Chambers. She is a genius. I’ve adapted the recipe to be more kid friendly and easier for tiny hands in the kitchen.

Peanut Noodle Stir Up

Ingredients

3 cups broccoli

1 cup frozen edamame (no shell)

3 packages dried ramen noodles (9oz)

½ cup peanut butter

½ cup soy sauce

2 Tablespoons rice vinegar

1 teaspoon sriracha

1 Tablespoon honey

3 green onions

2 large carrots

1 bunch cilantro

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. 
2. Cut broccoli into bit sized florets.
3. Slice green onions and set aside. 
4. Peel and grate carrots. Set aside. 
5. Wash and chop cilantro. Set aside. 
6. When your water is boiling, (ask a grown up for help) and add a large handful of salt to your water. 
7. Add your broccoli, edamame, and ramen to the water. Boil for 2 minutes or until noodles are tender enough to eat and broccoli is bright green. 
8. Drain your pot into a large colander. Run cold water over the noodles and veggies so they stop cooking. 
9. In a medium bowl, add ½ cup peanut butter, ½ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon sriracha, and 1 Tablespoon honey. Stir to combine. It takes a little while for it all to come together, so keep stirring. 
10. Add half of your sauce to your noodles and veggies. Stir to combine and taste. If you want more sauce, add more sauce to your noodles. 
11. Top with grated carrot, green onion, and cilantro.

Notes

• We used creamy peanut butter in our sauce, but crunchy would work if that’s all you have. Make sure no one under 4 is eating it, because whole nuts are a choking hazard until then. 
• If you like more spicy flavors, try adding another teaspoon of sriracha to your sauce. Or top noodles with chili crisp or other hot sauce. 
• Other yummy toppings are roasted peanuts (for kids over 4) or sesame seeds. 
• Try these noodles with a crispy fried egg on top. The yolk should be just a little runny to add extra creaminess and umami to the sauce when it pops. 
• Don’t skimp on the toppings! They really make this dish what it is. If your little eater is hesitant, try serving them on the side and give them the control of adding what they want.