Soba Noodle-Vegetable Salad

I have been slowly incorporating mass amounts of vegetables into our diets. If I serve them as plain "vegetables" Terry is much more resistant than if they are mixed into other things he likes. I decided to try Ellie Krieger's Soba Noodle-Vegetable Salad to accompany her Chicken Sate with Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce. We enjoyed the uncommon flavors of this salad as well as the abundance of fresh vegetables and herbs.

Soba Noodle-Vegetable Salad

Ellie Krieger

Ingredients

• 4 ounces soba noodles, or whole-wheat spaghetti
• 1 large shallot, very thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 cups shredded carrot
• 1 red pepper, julienne
• 1/3 cup shredded fresh basil leaves
• 1/3 cup shredded fresh mint leaves
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Dressing:

• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon walnut oil (or canola oil)
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon lime zest
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon fish sauce, or 1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce
• Salt
• 6 large Bibb lettuce leaves

Directions

Boil noodles according to package directions. Drain and cool. In a medium to large bowl, combine noodles, shallot, carrot, pepper, basil, mint, and cilantro. Combine all dressing ingredients, season with salt to taste, add to noodle mixture, and toss lightly.

Snap off Bibb lettuce leaves and wash and dry. To serve, scoop spoonfuls of noodle salad into the lettuce leaves.

The fresh ingredients for EK's Soba Noodle-Vegetable Salad.

Chop the bell peppers and shallots into strips, and shred the carrot, basil, mint and cilantro.

Cook Soba noodles or WW spaghetti according to package directions.

Rinse the drained pasta with cool water and allow to drain again.

Whisk together the dressing ingredients.

Add the dressing to cooled noodles in a mixing bowl.

Add the remaining ingredients to the mixing bowl.

Toss together all of the ingredients and serve.

Ellie Krieger's Soba Noodle-Vegetable Salad is very good. The dressing has intense flavors and is balanced by the fresh vegetables, herbs and pasta. I decided to use WW thin spaghetti in place of the Soba noodles, and to omit the mint because I couldn't find any at the store. This is intended to be served in lettuce cups, but I knew that would never fly with Terry. I enjoyed this cold the first night, but also really liked it warmed up with the rest of my lunch the next day at school. I would recommend this dish for a change of pace. It is a great way to spice up a meal.

-Heather