Dreaming of the Farmer's Market...

So yesterday was gorgeous and warm outside, so we felt inspired to make this delicious summer salad, which has been a standby for hot summer nights in our home for a couple years now.  It was delicious, despite the fact that it did not contain any super fresh produce from our local farmer's market, and that it was by no means a hot summer night. But a girl can dream, right?

                                                                              Drool...


Here is the recipe:

Original recipe found in the June 2008 Vegetarian Times Magazine, online link found here.

Chilled Noodle Salad with Mango


**Vegan and Gluten Free!

Dressing


1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, diced

Salad


8 oz rice stick noodles
1 large carrot, cut into thin strips
1 1/2 cups sliced lettuce
1/2 cup chopped basil (we left this out last night, and it was still great)
1/2 cup chopped mint
1/2 cucumber, sliced
1 cup bean sprouts
1 green onion, sliced
1 large mango, sliced
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts

Make dressing by combining all of the ingredients in a sauce pan and heating through until sugar is dissolved. Leave to cool. Next, soak the noodles in hot water for 15 minutes. Drain, and set aside. Cook the carrot in a pot of boiling water for 30 seconds. Scoop out with a slotted spoon, and then put in the noodles. Cook them for 5 minutes. Rinse both the carrot and the noodles under cold water once cooked. Put them into a large bowl, and chill while you cut up the rest of the vegetables. Toss the noodle mixture with lettuce, basil, mint, cilantro, cucumber, bean sprouts, green onion, and mango. Toss it all in the dressing, mixing well. When you are ready to serve it, garnish it with the peanuts.

This salad is wonderfully refreshing and light, but filling at the same time. We had it with homemade quinoa burgers on the buns I posted about earlier. It was delicious!

Enjoy!

Brenna