Most days of my Alaskan life I am craving something in the category of Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese, Lao, etc, etc, etc. Why? I don't have an answer besides the fact that these cultures make amazingly delicious dishes. Enter: Soba Noodles and Kale with Avocado Miso Sauce.
A compromise of all those great flavors, this dish also whispers, "I'm comfort food. Eat me!" It's lying of course. No one will believe that it is typical "comfort food." Let's be honest...it's healthy food try to masquerade as comfort food. And it's doing a good job. This dish is creamy, salty, and buttery.
Perhaps the best part of all though? It's super fast and incredibly easy to whip up. Oh and, P.S. check out the links in the ingredient list to learn what science says about it!
Soba Noodles and Kale with Avocado Miso Sauce
Inspired by A House in the Hills
Serves 4 foodies
- 12 oz. soba noodles
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1 garlic clove (or 2 if you really like a garlicky bite...like myself)
- 1 Tbsp. coconut oil
- 1/4 cup red miso (or white or yellow)
- juice from half a lime
- 1 cup water (varying to personal taste)
- 1 bunch of kale
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 2 green onion stalks, sliced thinly
- sesame seeds for garnish
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Put a large pot of water on to boil and add a sprinkle of salt. In the meantime, gather the avocado, garlic, coconut oil, miso, lime juice and water. More or less water can be used depending on the desired thickness of the sauce. Place all those little friends into a blender and give 'em a good whirl about, until the sauce is smooth, silky and creamy. Now, ignore that beautiful sauce for a just a few minutes.
The water might be boiling now, but wait to put in the noodles. Soba noodles don't need very long to boil and they can turn belligerent and all mushy pretty quickly if overcooked.
Turning now to the beautiful kale, rip off the leaves around the stalk, nobody ever wants the stalk part. Poor stalk. Tear the leaves into small bits and place them into a strainer or even better yet, a salad spinner. Wash, dry and set aside. Next, chop (or tear if you're lazy like me) the cilantro and cut the green onions.
Okay, now's a good time boil up those soba noodles. They only need about 5-7 minutes, so don't overdo it! Mushy soba noodles are the pits, so check on them after 5 minutes. Once they are boiled to perfection, drain and rinse them with cold water. Remember that pretty green sauce? Combine it with the noodles and the kale. Take off any finger and/or wrist jewelry and really get in there with your hands to mix it up (make sure to wash up good first though!) Don't be scared, your hands are the best kitchen utensils you have. It's a little known fact.
Separate noodle mixture into four bowls. Sprinkle each bowl with it's one quarter of the cilantro and green onions (don't be greedy!) and give each dish a pinch of sesame seeds. Want to be all Mr. Fancy Pants? Top it off with a drizzle of sesame seed oil.
Yum.
