Refreshing Cold Noodle Salad for a Hot Summer Day

This time of year it’s nice to find ways to use a variety of vegetables in one dish. On these hot days a cold noodle salad is especially refreshing. Glass noodles are gluten free and made of sweet potato starch. They can be hard to find but can be easily substituted with spaghetti, vermicelli rice noodles, chow mien noodles, or soba noodles. Whichever noodles you choose to work with, prepare them according to the package directions, and then rinse with cool water, and set aside. Prepare your vegetables in a julienne fashion to mimic the noodles. Toss it all together with sauce and enjoy. Stores well in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Glass Noodle Salad

• 1 package of glass noodles, or any noodles you choose to use

• 1 pint of snow peas, approx 1/3 pound

• 1 pint of green beans, approx 1/2 pound

• 4 medium carrots

• 1 long English cucumber

• 1 small or medium zucchini or summer squash

• 1 bunch of scallions

• 1/4 - 1/2 small head of red cabbage

• 1 can of chick peas, drained (optional)

• SAUCE

• 1/3 cup mirin or white wine vinegar

• 1/4 cup sesame oil

• 1/3 cup soya sauce

• 2 minced garlic cloves

• 1/4 cup Thai sweet chili sauce

• 1 lime, juiced

• Shake it a jar, or whisk with a fork

- Prepare noodles according to package directions. Rinse in cold water. Place in large bowl. Set aside.

- Julienne (or matchstick) the peas, beans, carrots, zucchini and cucumber.. Grate, mandolin or finely slice the red cabbage. Finely slice the scallions on the diagonal. Add all the vegetables to the noodles.

- Add all the ingredients for the sauce in a jar. Stir with a fork. Drizzle the sauce over the the noodles and vegetables. Toss to combine. Garnish with cilantro, toasted sesame seeds, or toasted peanuts.

“What do I do with Garlic Scapes?”

More like: what can’t you do!

Steam them, blanch them, grill them, Stir-fry them, roast them, saute them, pickle them, make a pesto, make a salad dressing…

My personal favorite way is grilled on the bbq, but if that isn’t an option, a quick steam or saute with some butter and salt and you’ll have to stop me from eating an entire bunch to myself. They are like a garlicky green bean or asparagus stalk.

The flower end is edible, and depending on the scape they can be delicious. If the flower bulb has formed quite a bit, I don’t like the texture as much. If you’re not sure, leave them on for cooking and try it! Worst case, you can remove them after they’re cooked.

You may find the other end to be a little tough. Again, it depends on the scape and how far along they have matured. Like the tough end of an asparagus stalk. Just like asparagus, you can snap or chop the end to where it’s more tender!

They are curly and beautiful, but this can lead them to being wily and hard to chop. Scissors work well. Usually I just cook and eat them whole, but if i want them smaller I take a sharp chef’s knife and cut right through the whole bunch. There’s No trying to wrangle them so they’re even, I just chop right across all the curlys. Maybe two chops like that and boom, smaller pieces. Sure, they’re not all the same size, but they’ll still cook evenly.

GARLIC SCAPE PESTO

Very zesty Pasta sauce! Or it makes a nice spread on toast or sandwiches.

in a food processor combine:

• 1 cup nuts or seeds (pine nuts, brazil nuts, or walnuts work best I find)

• a quick drizzle of oil

blend that up so the nuts are crumbly, then add:

• 1 cup greens like spinach or kale

• 1 bunch/cup garlic scapes

• juice from a lemon

• 1/4 cup- 1/2 cup oil

• generous pinch salt, pepper to taste

blend, blend, blend. You’ll have to stop and scrape down the sides. Add oil to your own liking, if you want it runnier/smoother but don’t want to add too much oil, you can add a little water at a time.

GARLIC SCAPE SALAD DRESSING

Here’s a nice recipe for a salad dressing. Add water if you like it runnier. Combine the following in a food processor, blender, or magic bullet:

• 2 garlic scapes, coarsely chopped

• 2 green onions, coarsely chopped

• 1 tsp honey, sugar or maple syrup

• 2 tsp Dijon mustard

• 1/4 sweet vinegar like red wine, white wine or raspberry vinegar! OR use a little more lemon juice and add a little more sweetness.

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 1 dash salt

• pepper

• 1/2 cup oil, olive preferred. (Mayo would work too. You could even cut in some sour cream or yogurt)

Miso-Walnut Gravy

This is a delicious, protein-packed dressing for salad or steamed veggies, potatoes, anything!  It's even great in a wrap. My go-to quick farm lunch is often just greens, some cooked quinoa, rice/beans, and cooked seasonal veggies with this drizzled all over.  Also great as a dip!

1/2 cup raw walnuts
3 Tbsp dijon mustard
1-2 Tbsp maple syrup
3 Tbsp miso paste
1-2 garlic cloves
4 Tbsp hemp seeds
dash pepper
juice of 1 lime
4 Tbsp tamari
up to 1/4 c water to thin

Place all ingredients in blender and blend till smoooooth.  Add water to desired consistency.  It will thicken over time, so if you want it really thin add more lime juice as well.  Refrigerate up to 4 days.

adapted from THIS RAWSOME VEGAN LIFE