Summertime Soba Noodle and Raw Vegetable Salad

Nobody really likes to sweat in their kitchen in the summer time (although I tend to do this at times, due to my lack of outdoor cooking space). I tried this recipe a while back and thought it would be a great summer time recipe to post. The only heat it requires is to boil a pot-o-noodles! It’s also a quick recipe, and you can make a big batch and eat all week if you like.

The original recipe came from a blog I stumbled across, Cookie + Kate.

Serves approx. 6

Ingredients

• 8 ounces soba noodles (100% buckwheat kind if you want to ensure gluten free)
• 1/2 cup reduced sodium tamari (or soy sauce, just be sure it’s reduced sodium or it will taste too salty)
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust to your liking of spiciness)
• 1-2 bunches green onions, chopped
• 3/4 cup chopped cilantro (I am not a cilantro fan, so didn’t use much. I usually use a little parsley in place of cilantro.)
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
• 1/4 head of green or red cabbage, thinly sliced
• 3 whole carrots, shredded with vegetable peeler
• 2 cups shelled edamame, steamed
• 1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds

• Optional ingredients for extra flavor
• one lime, juiced
• 1 jalapeño, finely chopped
• peanut butter! (do it!!)

Instructions

1. Cook soba noodles according to directions, and rinse in a colander.

   

2. Chop up all your vegetables, and toss into a bowl with the soba noodles.

   

   

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the tamari, sesame oil, canola oil, rice wine vinegar and red pepper flakes.

   

4. Pour the dressing into the pasta and veggies and toss well to combine. Eat right away or put it in the fridge to have the flavor mingle.

   

Ceviche – Raw salad cooked by citris juice

I had no idea what Ceviche was, I  just knew when I read the ingredients on the recipe it looked good! I came across it in my Vegetarian Collection cookbook. The cookbook says it is commonly served throughout Central and South America, but is usually made with seafood in it. You could eat this like a salad or heap it on top of crispy whole wheat pita bread like we did! The ceviche is “zingy” and flavorful. It also has ingredients I normally don’t like raw if at all, like olives and tomatoes, but I gobbled this up! The fat fills you up, and not in the gross “I need to unbutton my pants and let my gut fly” kind of way, so you could have it as a light supper, snack, or appetizer.

Vegetarian Ceviche

• 2 Tbsp lime juice
• 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 3 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• half jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
• 1 can hearts of palm, drained and rinsed (check the Indian isle of your grocery store)
• 2 avocados, peeled and pitted
• 2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1/2 cup finely diced red onion
• 1/2 cup chopped green olives (optional)

In a large bowl, whisk together lime juice, salt and pepper. Whisk in oil until thickened. Stir in parsley and jalapeno.

Real men eat plants and know how to make delicious food 🙂

Cut hearts of palm into thin rings and avocado into 1/2 inch pieces; add to bowl along with tomatoes, onion and olives. Toss to coat. Let stand for 10 minutes, or refrigerated, up to 6 hours (I’m not sure when happens after the 6 hours…this is just what the recipe states).

While the flavors mingled together, we split whole wheat pitas, brushed them with a little olive oil and a sprinkle of garlic powder, baked them on an oven sheet at 375 for about 5 minutes (this is just a guess – just watch them. They should get brown and crispy but they burn easily, so keep those peepers peeled!)

Nom nom nom…