We’ve been eating lots of green salads lately, and thought we’d take a detour to pasta and more Asian flavors. This is a very light meal with lots of complimentary flavors and textures. It’s served cold or at room temp, and is great for warm days, for pot lucks, or if you need to prepare a meal in advance. Also, soba noodles (made from buckwheat) have more protein and fiber than regular pasta, so they’re a nice break the usual fare.

The key to cooking soba noodles properly is to taste them as they’re simmering so they don’t overcook. As soon as they’re “al dente,” take them off the heat, drain immediately and then plunge them into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz soba noodles, cooked and drained
• 1 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 cup sliced cucumbers
• ½ cup sliced radishes
• ½ cup grated carrots
• ¼ red bell pepper, very thinly sliced
• ½ jalapeño, sliced thin (optional)
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, halved
• Lime wedges

For the dressing:

• ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
• 3 ½ Tbs vegetable oil
• 3 tsp sesame oil
• 1 Tbs grated ginger
• 1 Tbs honey

Preparation:

Place the noodles and other salad ingredients in a bowl. Mix dressing ingredients in a separate small bowl, then pour over the salad and toss lightly. This is best served immediately or within an hour or so, but can stay good for a few hours covered in the fridge if needed. We served it up with lime wedges and hard boiled eggs, but you can substitute another protein of your choice.