Enhanced Ramen Noodle Stir Fry with Peanut Sauce

       Everyone knows ramen noodles are a staple in a college diet, mainly because how ridiculously cheap they are - but they are extremely high in sodium and basically have no nutritional value. I figured because this is a blog based on food for college students, I had to do my own spin off of ramen noodles, so I tried making them healthier and of course tastier (yet still easy). With a quick frozen oriental veggie stir fry and a simple sauce, these taste much better than regular ramen noodles and are great for lunch or even a vegetarian dinner! (or if you want meat, add some chicken!)

            Best thing is, it tastes great yet it's still a bargain meal because frozen vegetables are cheap and the sauce uses only small amounts of ingredients that you probably already have! So next time you're looking to boil up a package of ramen, think to add some veggies and discard most of the seasoning package.... Gooooodbye sodium!

-Hint- Ramen noodles cook very fast, and if you boil them for too long they become mushy (not good) so really only boil them for 2-3 minutes max!

Also, if you want them spicier, add 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper to the peanut sauce mixture

Enhanced Ramen Noodle Stir Fry w/ Peanut Sauce

Ingredients:

1 16 oz pkg frozen oriental vegetables

1 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 pkg ramen noodles (w/ approx 1/3 of a seasoning packet)

2 1/2 tbsp natural peanut butter

1 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce

1 tbsp honey

2 tsp sesame oil (olive oil works too)

2 tsp chili sauce (siracha or regular - more or less to taste)

1/4 tsp onion powder

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat tbsp of oil over medium-high heat in pan over stove. Add garlic and stir, then add vegetables. Cook, stirring constantly until vegetables are heated through, about 7-8 minutes and season with about 1/3 of a seasoning packet. Boil noodles according to package directions (no more than 3 minutes) and strain. Mix together peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, oil, chili sauce and onion powder salt and pepper. Toss noodles, sauce and vegetables together and serve.