This salad is a great way to welcome spring. Cha soba are buckwheat noodles that have matcha green tea added to them. They can be easily sourced next to the regular soba noodles in the Asian section of some grocery stores. To make this into a more substantial meal, serve topped with some slices of simply roasted chicken or salmon.
Tip
This salad is easily customizable to incorporate whatever vegetables are hanging around in your refrigerator. Ribboned carrot strands, julienned peppers, or thinly sliced celery would all add a great crunchy contrast to the soft noodles.
Matcha Soba Salad
Ingredients
- 1 tsp (5 mL) matcha green tea powder
- 1 1/2 tsp (7 mL) finely grated ginger
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) unseasoned rice vinegar
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) water
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) white miso paste
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tsp (5 mL) toasted sesame oil
- 8 oz (225 g) cha soba noodles or regular soba noodles
- 6 large asparagus spears
- 4 medium-sized radishes, trimmed and sliced into paper-thin rounds
- 1/2 English cucumber, cut in half and sliced into thin half-moons
- 2 green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced
- 1 cup (250 mL) frozen peas or edamame, thawed
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) black sesame seeds
- 1 cup (250 mL) mixed microgreens
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) edible flower petals, for garnish (optional)
Nutrition
Per serving:
- calories231
- protein7g
- fat7g
- saturated fat1g
- trans fat0g
- carbohydrates34g
- sugars2g
- fibre4g
- sodium312mg
Directions
01
To make dressing for salad, in blender, place matcha powder, ginger, rice vinegar, olive oil, water, miso paste, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Blend until well combined and smooth. Alternatively, you can whisk ingredients together in bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.
02
Bring large pot of water to a boil. Cook soba noodles according to package directions. Drain cooked soba noodles and rinse well under cold water until chilled, about 2 minutes. Allow to drain a couple of minutes before placing into large bowl. Drizzle noodles with half the dressing and toss until noodles are well coated.
03
Using vegetable peeler, slice asparagus into long ribbons and add to bowl with noodles along with radishes, cucumber, green onions, peas, and sesame seeds. Gently toss until well combined. Drizzle with remaining dressing before garnishing with microgreens and edible flower petals, if using.
READ THIS NEXT
SEE MORE »
Waffled Chicken Quesadillas with Chipotle Pepper Sauce
These whimsical weeknight quesadillas offer a great excuse to break out the long-forgotten waffle iron. The smoky, tangy pepper sauce is the perfect sidekick for this dish, but it’s also wonderful when tossed with pasta, stuffed into sandwiches, and slathered on burgers. TIP : When assembling quesadillas, keep fillings centred 1/2 in (1.25 cm) from the edge of the tortilla so they don’t spill over. TIP : Chipotle chiles are dried, smoked jalapenos. Adobo is a slightly sweet red sauce. Put them together in a can and they become a versatile pantry staple to add deep smoky heat to sauces, dips, marinades, and soups. No waffle iron? Then make these quesadillas using this skillet method. Place 1 tortilla in skillet, preferably cast iron, and cook over medium heat until dark spots appear and bottom is crispy, about 1 1/2 minutes. Turn over and cook until crispy and darkened on the other side. Remove tortilla from skillet and replace with another tortilla. Cook until darkened and crispy on one side, flip, and top with stuffing ingredients. Place crispy tortilla on top, press down gently, cover pan, and cook for 1 minute, or until cheese has melted.
Ancho Tomato Baked Feta
This Mexican-Mediterranean hybrid dish gleans its tempered kick from parched ancho chilies, the dried form of poblano peppers known for their smoky quality and sweet to moderate heat. It’s a fantastic saucy, and comforting, appetizer or meal on its own. Serve with crusty bread to sop up every last bit of the red sauce, or spoon over cooked grain. Chili choices Experiment with different dried Mexican chili peppers in your dishes. Instead of ancho, other options, each with different heat levels and flavour nuances, include pasilla, guajillo, or morita. Look for them in Latin markets and some supermarkets. For leftover lovers Because the flavours in this dish only deepen with resting time, it’s a definite candidate for serving as leftovers; simply reheat in the oven or microwave. Cheezy choices If possible, compare labels and look for lower-sodium feta options. A ball of fresh mozzarella or bocconcini are great alternatives, or try a block of medium-firm tofu and substitute agave syrup in place of the honey for a vegan-friendly dish.
Sweet Potato Black Bean Dip with Pickled Jalapenos
A good option for both backyard barbecues and healthy snacking, this creamy dip benefits from a little spicy crunch, courtesy of quick-pickled peppers. If you want your dip to have a smoky edge, blend in a chipotle-flavoured salsa. Or forgo the salsa and, instead, blend in a couple tablespoons of tomato paste and a single canned chipotle chili pepper. Extras of the pickled peppers are an exciting topping for burgers, sandwiches, and tacos. TIP : When using prepared chili pepper products such as bottled salsas, examine the ingredient list for items you really don’t want or need, namely sugar and high amounts of sodium.
Grilled Chili Tofu Steaks with Quinoa
Treat yourself to a steak dinner, using tofu instead of meat. The tangy chili-spiked marinade does double-duty as a finishing sauce and transforms otherwise bland tofu into a dish that’ll sound your taste buds’ fire alarm. Bird’s eye pepper would be a good substitute for habanero if needed. Dousing the fire If you find yourself with a mouth on fire after taking a bite of a chili-infused dish, don’t try to douse it with water. Instead, reach for a glass of milk. The protein casein in dairy is known to help subdue the flame. Water won’t help nearly as much.