Soba is a Japanese buckwheat pasta with fewer calories and carbohydrates than most white pastas. In this recipe, it's paired with nutritious stir-fried broccoli and peas.

Yield: 2 servings

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• ¼ cup raw cashews
• ½ tbsp olive oil
• ½ cup diced onion
• 1 ½ cups small broccoli florets
• ¼ cup water
• ¼ cup fresh peas
• ½ tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• ½ tbsp toasted black sesame seeds
• 2 cups cooked soba noodles

Directions

1. Heat a medium skillet over medium-high and add the raw cashews. Toss the cashews around the pan for about 3 minutes until they begin to brown. Transfer the cashews to a bowl and remove the skillet from the heat for 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Add the olive oil to the pan and return it to medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the broccoli and continue to cook for 6 minutes, until it turns bright green and starts to become tender.
3. Reduce the heat to medium and add the water. The water and steam will cook the broccoli further. Continue to stir and cook until the liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes.
4. Stir in the peas and cook for one more minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the soy sauce. Sprinkle the vegetables with black sesame seeds and the reserved cashews.
5. Divide the soba noodles between two serving bowls. Top each with half of the vegetables and serve.

Lori Rice, M.S., is a nutritional scientist and author with a passion for healthy cooking, exercise physiology, and food photography.