Grab-and-Go Soba Noodle Salad w/ "Berkeley Bowl Cookbook" Asian Vinaigrette

Here's a healthy and filling cold salad to make on Sunday, then pack up for grab-and-go lunches for at least three days.

Adapted from a recipe in The Berkeley Bowl Cookbook, the soba noodles and Asian vinaigrette will work with any veggies you might have on hand.

Soba noodles are made from buckwheat which is a grain, but is gluten-free. You could also try the salad with zoodles* to keep it strictly paleo.

My Paleo Marin Rating: 4.6 Persimmons

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon black sesame seeds, toasted

9.5 oz. (1 package) dry soba noodles, preferably Hakubaku Organic Soba Noodles
2 tablespoons sesame oil

Image from Amazon

1 lb. fresh green beans, preferably from the Farmers' Market, cut into bite-sized pieces
8 oz. snap peas
4-6 sweet peppers
5 chopped green onions
10 cherry tomatoes

Dressing: (I doubled the original recipe)

4 tablespoons Tamari Sauce
4 tablespoons rice vinegar, preferably Amoy brand
4 tablespoons honey
4 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 4 limes)
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

Finishing:

Herbs of choice, such as Thai basil, basil, cilantro, etc. (finely sliced),
Lime for serving wedges
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

Farmers' Market vrs.
Whole Foods Largest Bean

1. Quickly toast the black sesame seeds in a small frying pan, and set aside.

2. Cook the soba noodles according to package instructions. With a slotted spoon or tongs, move the noodles into a colander and rinse with cold water. Drain well, and put in covered container in the fridge for about an hour.

3. In the same boiling water, blanch the green beans for 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, and set aside. Blanch the snap peas for about 45 seconds, just until bright green; drain and set aside.

4. Chop the sweet peppers, green onions, and tomatoes into bite-sized pieces. Finely chop herbs. Set aside in a bowl.

Dressing:

Image from
iHerb website

1. In a mason jar, add tamari sauce, rice vinegar, honey, lime juice and grated ginger; cover and shake
well.

To assemble the salad:

1. In a very large bowl, add the chilled soba noodles. Add the vegetables and mix. Add about 1 cup of dressing and toss well. Taste for salt and pepper.

2. Sprinkle herbs and sesame seeds on top and gently stir through.

3. Put extra dressing in the fridge, and use on other dishes or to refresh the soba salad during the week.

4. Store in the fridge until ready to eat. Grab-and-go for lunches and enjoy!

#paleo-inspired #salad #lunch #soba #Asian #vegetarian #veggies #vegan #healthyeats #hakubaku #japanese #buckwheat 

* For instructions on how to prepare zoodles, see: https://www.foodfaithfitness.com/cold-summer-zucchini-noodle-pasta-salad/ .

My Paleo Marin Rating 1-5 Persimmons

I try out these recipes so you don't have to (and modify them for Paleo where possible). The rating will reflect my opinion of the final result in terms of taste, ease of preparation, nutrition, and sometimes, cost.