Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use fresh lemon juice, real maple syrup and miso paste with no colour or preservatives added.

Miso paste flavours the dressing for this salad

Feel free to use whatever crunch vegetables you have on hand

Ginger-miso soba salad

Ingredients:

Miso Dressing

½ cup (125 ml) vegetable oil

¼ cup (60 ml) lemon juice

3 tablespoons (45 ml) white or yellow miso paste

2 tablespoons (30 ml) maple syrup

2 tablespoons (30 ml) grated fresh ginger

1 clove garlic, minced

½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt (optional)

¼ teaspoon (1 ml) cayenne pepper

Salad

225 g soba noodles

1 cup (250 ml) sugar snap peas, trimmed

1 cup (250 ml) bite-size broccoli florets

1 sweet red pepper, thinly sliced

Quarter red onion, thinly sliced

Quarter English cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise

½ cup (125 ml) chopped fresh cilantro (with stems)

¼ cup (60 ml) natural (skin-on) almonds, toasted and chopped

Preparation:

Miso Dressing: In large bowl, whisk together oil, lemon juice, miso paste, maple syrup, ginger, garlic, salt (if using) and cayenne pepper. Set aside.

Salad: In saucepan of boiling water, cook noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water; drain well. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in separate saucepan of boiling salted water, cook snap peas and broccoli until tender-crisp, about 2 minutes. Drain and transfer to bowl of ice water to chill; drain well.

Thinly slice snap peas; place in large bowl. Add broccoli, red pepper, onion and cucumber; toss with half of the dressing. Add noodles and cilantro; gently toss with remaining dressing. Sprinkle with almonds. Serves 6.

From Canadian Living