Spicy Veggie-Noodle Stir Fry

Tonight I was in the mood for Chinese. Given that Jeremy and I are on a health-kick (which will hopefully last longer than just a kick...) we're avoiding ordering take-out because we always eat too much and are fairly certain that it's awful for us. So I made a very yummy stir fry. 

Being able to make my own Chinese food is great. (I've been working on teaching myself to cook different dishes for a few years so I can minimize ordering it.) It satisfies my cravings and also helps me get lots of fresh veggies. Making it myself also allows me to control all of the ingredients so I don't have to eat things I don't want to (i.e., icky mushrooms - I can say with near certainty that you will NEVER find a mushroom in a recipe I make.). This recipe uses spaghetti rather than actual asian noodles... I find they taste fine in the stir fry and it's easier to keep just spaghetti in my pantry as it saves some space and can be used in more ways.

This stir fry is nice and spicy... if that's not your flavor, leave out the jalapeño and crushed red pepper flake. (If you REALLY hate spice, then leave out the sriracha too... although it adds a nice flavor to the stir fry, in my opinion.) And this works equally well with any combination of veggies or meat you feel like putting in it. For meat, simply stir fry the meat before adding the veggies. And any other veggies might just need an adjustment on the cooking time. I frequently make a variation on this with some sliced chicken - but again, I forgot to defrost anything... so we're vegetarian again tonight. :) 

This recipe easily feeds the two of us with enough leftover for a good lunch tomorrow. (Be careful, it gets hotter while it sits... yum.) If the leftovers are dry, just add a little chicken stock, water, or soy sauce. 

Recipe:
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
2 carrots, sliced into matchstick pieces
2 ribs celery, diced
1 green bell pepper, quartered and sliced
1 medium onion, diced
1 jalapeño, halved and sliced
1 1/2 c. fresh baby spinach, sliced
1 can sliced water chestnuts, cut into 1/4" pieces
1/2 lb. whole wheat spaghetti
1 tbs. grated fresh ginger
1 tsp. sriracha
4 tbs. soy sauce
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. spicy oyster sauce (or regular oyster sauce if you don't want it spicy)
1/2 tsp. lime zest
1 c. cashew halves, diced

1. Heat a pot full of water for the spaghetti.When it boils, add the spaghetti and cook until al dente.
2. Heat a wok over medium high heat. Add 1 tbs. vegetable oil. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper flake and fry until fragrant.
3. Add carrots, bell pepper, jalapeno, onion, and celery. Stir fry until veggies begin to soften.
4. Add spinach, ginger, and water chestnuts and stir.
5. Add sriracha, soy sauce, sesame oil, and oyster sauce. Stir to coat. Put a lid on the wok and allow to cook over low heat for 2-3 minutes.
6. Remove lid and add spaghetti to the wok. Mix thoroughly. (If it looks dry, add a bit more soy sauce.)
7. Add the lime zest and cashews. Mix and serve.