Now that Spring is upon us (although you wouldn't notice it if you looked out the window today) I'm so ready to get back to easier, lighter, more veggie filled eating. And this salad fits all those criteria to a T. Plus, it's absolutely delicious, extremely versatile and has that wonderful Asian thing going on. Oh, and did I mention it comes together in under 30 minutes and would make an amazing vegetarian meal?!! I think we've got dinner for tonight under control--whew!

Who doesn't love slurping up noodles? And this salad is full of them--healthier than usual 'cause they're soba noodles and full of protein, iron and a bunch of other good stuff too. And there are a nice selection of colorful veggies also to add to that healthiness. I used sugar snap peas, carrots and red cabbage but you could really use any veggies you like, which also makes this slurpable treat extremely versatile!

Now, let's talk about the peanutty soy sauce coating everything because it is crazy simple to make and SO, SO yummy!! I'd like to pour it over everything!! Here's to happy slurping, people!

Easy Peanutty Veggie Soba Salad

Makes 4 servings as a main course, 6-8 if using as a side

Prep Time:  Under 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the Salad

• 1 pound dried soba noodles
• 1/2 pound sugar snap peas, trimmed and cut in half on the diagonal
• 3-4 carrots, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks
• 1/2 head of red cabbage, shredded
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

For the Peanut Dressing

• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 4 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 2-3 shakes red pepper flakes
• 1/3 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
• Salt and pepper to taste

The Recipe

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook the noodles according to the package directions. Two minutes before the noodles are ready, add the snap peas and carrots. When the time is up, drain the whole thing in a colander and transfer to a large bowl, adding the cabbage and parsley.

2.  To make the dressing:  Place the oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and stir well. Then add in the soy sauce, vinegar, red pepper flakes, peanut butter, broth and salt to taste. Stir until smooth and then lower the heat to allow the mixture to simmer and thicken, 5-7 minutes.

3.  Pour the dressing over the mixture in the bowl and toss gently to coat. Let cool to room temperature and serve. Salad keeps in an airtight container for 3-4 days and is great cold too!

Note:  Recipe adapted from Williams Sonoma Salad of the Day by Georgianne Brennan. I toyed around a lot with this--added in red cabbage, took out fresh mint leaves and ginger and a few other things as well.