Cold Noodle Salad

FRESH PRODUCE TIPS:

Green beans are a produce item that can go from delicious to spoiled seemingly overnight. While they enjoy being in the cool temperature and high humidity of a crisper drawer, it is important that they don’t go into the refrigerator damp. Keep the beans dry, and preferably in an open container, not a plastic bag that can trap moisture. Try to use them within a week. If you have too many, try popping them whole and raw into any pickle jars you might have in your fridge. Green beans make great refrigerator pickles and the salt and vinegar extend their shelf life significantly!

 Carrots from the garden store extremely well when wrapped in plastic and put into the crisper drawer of the fridge. They too enjoy being kept at high humidity, but they also benefit from a little moisture to keep them crunchy. If left out on their own, you will notice them wilt in a few days. Also if you’d like carrots to store for more than a week in the fridge, be sure to pull off the green leafy tops! These greens will rot quickly in your drawer and pull nutrients and moisture out of the carrot roots.

GREAT FOR RESTRICTED DIETS!

This recipe is a wonderfully flexible and can accommodate any dietary needs. Soba noodles are made from buckwheat (which is gluten free), have a wonderful flavor that compliments the veggies, and are cheap and easy to find in grocery stores. The creamy element of the dressing can be made with tahini, sun-butter, peanut butter or any type of nut-butter that suits your preference, and the soy sauce can be replaced with coconut aminos or tamari for anyone needing to avoid soy. Topped with seeds, nuts or crispy onions and fresh herbs, this yummy summer meal can be enjoyed by all.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb soba noodles (or other noodles such as rice, mung bean, egg, or vermicelli)

• 3 carrots

• 1 cucumber

• 1 medium summer squash

• 1 pint green beans

• 1 bunch scallions

• 1 bunch cilantro

  Optional - 1 jalapeño or serrano pepper,  lime wedges, crunchy topping like seeds, nuts, or fried onions

Dressing:

• 2 cloves garlic

• 1/2 c. tahini/sun-butter/nut-butter

• 2 tbsp. soy sauce/tamari/coconut aminos

• 1 tbsp. honey

• 1/2 tsp. salt

• 2 tbsp. cold water

• 2 tbsp. rice vinegar

• 1/4 c. olive oil

• Optional - 1 small knob ginger,  2 tsp. toasted sesame oil

Preparation

1. Put a pot of water on to boil

2. Grate the carrots

3. Use a sharp knife to slice the cucumber and squash into long thin strips like noodles

4. Slice the scallions into thin circles (We like using the white and the green parts).

5. Wash the green beans and trim the tips. If they are very long you can also slice them in half or thirds.

6. Roughly chop up the cilantro. 

7. Put all of the dressing ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.

8. Cook the noodles until they are al dente (still a bit firm), then drain and immediately run under cold water to bring the temperature down until you can handle them comfortably.

9. Toss all of the veggies, noodles, and dressing together. 

10. You can serve immediately topped with your toppings, or if you have time chill in the fridge for 20 minutes before serving.