Thai Noodle Salad

Ingredients

• 6 ounces dry noodles (brown rice noodles, pad Thai style rice noodles, soba noodles, linguini or spaghetti)

• 4 cups mix of red cabbage, carrots and radish, shredded or grated

• 1 red bell pepper, finely sliced

• 3 scallions, sliced

• 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped (or sub basil and mint)

• 1 tablespoon (or less, or more) jalapeño, finely chopped

• 1/4 – 1/2 cup roasted, crushed peanuts (optional garnish)

Thai Peanut Sauce

• 5 thin slices ginger- cut across the grain, about the size of a quarter.

• 2 cloves garlic

• 1/2 cup peanut butter (or sub almond butter!)

• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice (roughly 1 large orange)

• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice (roughly 2 limes)

• 1/4 cup soy sauce or Liquid Amino Acids 

• 1/3 cup honey, agave, or maple syrup

• 1/4 cup toasted sesame oil

• 1 – 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper ( or a squirt of sriracha sauce)

• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

• Cook Noodles: Cook pasta according to directions on package. ( See notes for rice noodles) Drain and chill under cold running water.

• Blend the Peanut Sauce: while noodles are cooking, blend the peanut sauce ingredients together using  a blender until smooth.

• Toss: Place shredded veggies, bell pepper, scallions, cilantro and jalapeño into a serving bowl. Toss. Add the cold noodles to the serving bowl and toss again. Pour some peanut sauce over top and toss well to combine- no need to use all, just use enough to coat well. (Save the extra sauce for any leftover salad-as it can soak up the sauce overnight.)

• Taste: Adjust the salt (to your liking), add chili flakes if you want, or more lime, and serve, garnishing with roasted peanuts and cilantro and a lime wedge.