Sesame Soba Noodles

I recently hosted a lunch party with a few good family friends from around town, one of which is a renowned Indian Chef of many, many years. The experience was intimidating, but extremely rewarding. For my guests, I served salad with avocados, an Italian chicken dish, various deserts, and this recipe for Sesame Soba Noodles, which, to my surprise, was everyone's favorite. The weeks leading up to this meal, I racked my brain for a satisfying and nutritious vegetarian entree to serve. After paging through numerous cookbooks, I finally found this Sesame Soba Noodle recipe in one of my favorite magazines the day before the lunch party.

8 oz soba noodles

1 cup frozen shelled edamame

1 1/2 cup shredded carrots

1 1/2 cup sliced scallion or green onions

1/2 cup chopped fresh mint

1 large orange

2 Tbsp miso

3 tbsp sesame oil

2 tbsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp crushed red-pepper flakes

Fill a medium-sized saucepan about 2/3 of the way with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and add noodles and edamame. Stirring occasionally, cook for 6 minutes; then, strain into a colander and rinse with cold water. Mix the noodles and edamame in a bowl with the carrots, scallion, and mint. In a small bowl, zest the orange, then juice it until about 3 Tbsp. of juice comes out. Add the miso, sesame oil, soy sauce, and crushed red-pepper flakes. Whisk this mixture together until it is completely incorporated. Pour the dressing over the noodles and edamame and mix together until everything is evenly coated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes, or until it is time to serve.

Bon Appetit!

Recipe from Women's Health Magazine