Better than peanut sauce

Almonds are the new kid in town. They're full of protein, magnesium, vitamin E, potassium, calcium, and iron. Don't get me wrong I love peanuts, but I've replaced my peanut butter with almond butter these days. It seems to be the adult thing to do, right?

Peanuts contain some of the same vitamins as almonds, but they're usually mixed with preservatives and unhealthy ingredients when made into peanut butter. Plus a lot of people are allergic to peanuts these days. I do love making my own peanut butter at home from time-to-time, so I can control the ingredients that go into it. If you're buying store-bought, I'd recommend buying organic to keep the icky stuff out of your food. 

Better than peanut sauce

Note: I made a homemade batch of almond butter that I sweetened with honey. If you use unsweetened almond butter or think the sauce is too tart, then balance with a dollop of honey. And if you don't have almond butter, you can sub in peanut butter.

2 tbsp almond butter (see note above)

1 tbsp tamari or soy sauce

1 tsp miso

2 tbsp rice vinegar

1 in. knob of ginger, grated

juice of 1 lime

1/4 c. hot water

2 tbsp cilantro, minced

1/4 tsp red chili flakes

1/2 tsp Eden sesame seasoning 

Put the first 7 ingredients in a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake well. The hot water is what thins the almond butter, so the ingredients will mix together better. It's a great trick. Remove the lid and stir in the cilantro, chili flakes, and sesame seed mix. Makes about half a cup of sauce.

Use in place of your usual peanut sauce. Pour over cooked soba or maifun noodles and eat chilled. It's perfect on a hot day. I also like to use as a dressing on a shredded cabbage salad or Asian style slaw.