Sweet and Spicy Broccoli with noodles

Another quick lunch/dinner recipe.  I've posted similar recipes that I cook for green beans, but I made some variations this time and felt it was worth posting about.  Forgive the photo...it just wouldn't photograph well for me. 

I've compiled a few recipes that I've found and pulled my favorites from each and came up with this.  It's a super easy, quick meal when your in the mood for something sweet and spicy and a little asian flare. 

3 Tablespoons of soy sauce
1 Tablespoon of agave nectar
1 teaspoon of cornstarch
1 teaspoon of crushed red peppers
2 teaspoons of garlic chili sauce
1 garlic clove minced very fine
Veggie of your choice (I used broccoli this time but I've used green beans or any other asian inspired veggie would work)  I tpyically use frozen, but fresh would work just as well, just adjust the cooking for fresh
Cooked pasta (anything will do)

Spicier variations of the sauce:
Add an additional tablespoon of agave (2 total)
Add 1 tespoon of dry mustard powder
Take out the garlic chili sauce and garlic clove
add a few shakes of seasame chili oil, and sesame seeds. 

1.  Add frozen broccoli to a pan and cover over medium heat.  Let steam until they are almost done cooking.  I don't like mushy broccoli so I pretty much cook until they are no longer cold and nice and crisp
2.  Meanwhile add remaining ingredients (except pasta) in a bowl and mix well.  Add the sauce to the broccoli once it's almost done
3.  Cook uncovered for about a minute or so, after the sauce slightly thickens and coats the veggie.
4.  Top the broccoli and sauce over pasta, and that's it.

Enjoy!  The sauce would go really well with a stir fry.  If you chop up any veggies of your choice (bell peppers, baby corn, water chestnuts, broccoli, carrots, green beans, sugar snap peas, etc. are some good choices) and saute in a little oil in a wok, once they are almost done cooking add the same sauce, wait for it to thicken then add some noodles of your choice.  Rice noodles, spaghetti noodles, or even udon noodles would be yummy.  Mix everything together and cook a little longer so the sauce coats the veggies and noodles and you have yourself a yummy stir fry/chow mein!  =)

Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler!