Fuhrman's Szechuan Sesame Pasta

This recipe is from Dr. Fuhrman for Szechuan Sesame Pasta. Our son can't have that many legumes, so we had it with rice Pad Thai noodles. Following his directions, it is somewhat spicy due to the ginger. We loved it but it was a little too spicy for our son.

INGREDIENTS:

8 ounces bean pasta (see note), cooked according to package directions, rinsed under cold water and drained

2 pounds fresh or frozen broccoli florets, steamed

1 large red bell pepper, or 2 roasted red peppers, cut into strips

6 scallions, thinly sliced

black (or brown) sesame seeds for garnish

FOR THE SAUCE:

1/4 cup unhulled (brown) sesame seeds, lightly pan toasted

1 cup unsweetened almond or soy milk

6 Medjool or 12 regular dates, pitted

1/2 tablespoon minced ginger

2-3 cloves garlic, peeled

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes or to taste

3 tablespoons rice vineg

Instructions:

In a high-powered blender, puree all of the sauce ingredients until smooth.

In a large bowl, toss the noodles, broccoli, red pepper and scallions with the sesame sauce until thoroughly coated. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to use.

To serve, divide among 6 plates and sprinkle with the sesame seeds

Note: Several varieties of bean pasta are available at www.drfuhrman.com.

Calories 285; Protein 17 g; Carbohydrates 47 g; Sugars 10 g; Total Fat 5 g; Saturated Fat 0.6 g; Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 71 mg; Fiber 13.1 g; Beta-Carotene 1097 ug; Vitamin C 173 mg; Calcium 313 mg; Iron 6.3 mg; Folate 143 ug; Magnesium 71 mg; Potassium 719 mg; Zinc 3.1 mg; Selenium 6.4 ug