Cold Soba Noodle Bowl with Edamame

• 8 oz (225 g) soba noodles (100% buckwheat only; check the label for added flours)
• 1.5 cups, shelled edamame
• 1, cut into matchsticks cucumber
• 1 large, cut into matchsticks carrot
• 4, thinly sliced radishes
• 4, thinly sliced green onions
• 1 sheet, cut into thin strips nori
• 2 tbsp, toasted sesame seeds
• 3 tbsp tamari (use a gluten-free tamari)
• 3 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 tbsp, grated fresh ginger
• 1 tbsp maple syrup

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of unsalted water to a boil, add the frozen edamame, and cook for 3 minutes, then lift them out with a strainer into a bowl of cold water.
2. Add the soba to the same pot and cook it as the package directs, usually 4 to 5 minutes, stirring gently in the first minute so the strands do not clump.
3. Drain the noodles and rinse them under cold running water, rubbing them gently with your hands until they are cool and no longer slippery with starch.
4. Whisk the tamari, rice vinegar, sesame oil, maple syrup, ginger, and 3 tbsp water together in a small bowl.
5. Drain the edamame, then cut the cucumber and carrot into matchsticks and slice the radishes and green onions thinly.
6. Toss the noodles with the dressing in a large bowl until every strand is glossy, then fold in the edamame, cucumber, carrot, and radishes.
7. Divide among four bowls or containers and finish with the green onions, sesame seeds, and nori strips.

Tips

• 100% buckwheat noodles are more fragile than blended ones, so rinse them gently and pull them from the water as soon as they are tender.
• The noodles tighten up in the fridge. Loosen them with a splash of cold water or a little extra dressing before you eat; the bowl keeps 2 days.
• For a lunch box, pack the dressing in a small jar and the nori in a separate bag, and combine just before eating so everything stays crisp.
• Want more protein? Add a soft-boiled egg, cubes of baked tofu, or shredded chicken.

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