Spicy Asian Stir-Fry with Whole Wheat Linguine

I did everything right. All went according to plan. Things browned nicely. Nothing burned. Still...

Eh.

I've had hits and misses with Vegetarian Times and this falls pretty solidly in the miss category. Everything sounds good. Pasta. Veggies. Chile-Garlic Sauce. But really, with vegetarian dishes like this, the sauce has to have a lot of flavor. Hoisin and chile-garlic should provide that, but when you add the rest of the liquid the effect is watered-down.

Also? Where is the salt? What kind of recipe does not call for salt?

I added salt, which helped. I was still not even a little bit whelmed.

That said, it's not terrible and it is fast and easy and healthy, so, you know if that's what you're looking for...

check out Vegetarian Times March 2009

I thought I had the recipe. Alas, I deemed it not good enough to keep and threw it away. (Instead, I have posted a fantastic recipe from VT in September that you should definitely make instead.) Some highlights:

How cute is baby bok choy?

Mango-Avocado Rolls

Recipe By: Vegetarian Times September 2009
Serving Size: 4

-= Ingredients =-
2/3 cup Diced avocado
2 tablespoon Lime Juice
2 teaspoon Grated lime zest
2/3 cup Finely chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup Cream cheese ; softened
1/3 cup Thinly sliced green onions
1/3 cup Chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon Chile sauce ; such as sriracha
8 8 1/2 inch Vietnamese rice paper wrappers
2 cups Alfalfa sprouts
1 1/2 cups Thinly sliced fresh mango

-= Instructions =-
1. Comine avocado, lime juice, and lime zest in small bowl. Stir in bell pepper, cream cheese, green onions, cilantro, and chile sauce; set aside.
2. Fill large bowl ( 9 in. in diameter) with warm water. Submerge 1 rice paper wrapper 10 seconds in water, or just until it becomes soft. Remove wrapper to flat work surface, and let rest 30 seconds; it will become more pliable.
3.Spoon scant 1/4 cup avocado mixture just below middle of rice paper wrapper, leaving 1-inch border on either side. Top with 1/4 cup alfalfa sprouts and 2 to 3 mango slices. Fold bottom of rice paper wrapper up over filling, pressing filling as you go. Fold both sides of rice paper inward. Gently press to seal. Roll up wrapper to top edge. Brush water on top edge if necessary to seal. Reppeat with remaining wrappers, avocado, sprouts, and mango.