Noodle Salad with an Asian Sesame Dressing

This noodle salad is so perfect for the holiday season. Yes, it’s the perfect time to eat everything in sight (including ALL the cookies and roast potatoes) but sometimes I feel like something a bit lighter.

This is such a quick and easy meal, taking 15 minutes (if that!) in total. Super easy for a packed lunch or just to make a huge bowl to share amongst friends. It’s delicious with some baked tofu or avocado stirred through as well.

The best part of it all has to be the dressing, packed with punchy flavours of savoury, smoky and sweet. Toasted sesame, one of my favourite ingredients gives a deep flavour whilst the Comvita Manuka honey gives a subtle sweetness.
(Also, just as a little tip, this honey and slices of ginger steeped in hot water is the best sore throat cute, definitely neccessary after a few too many nights out!)

Noodle Salad with an Asian Sesame Dressing dairy free, gluten free
Serves 2

This noodle salad is a quick meal full of fresh flavours. Elevate it by adding herbs like coriander and make it more filling by adding protein of your choice! The dressing also works perfectly on char grilled broccoli to make a nice side salad.

2 nests of thin rice noodles
1/4 English cucumber, sliced thinly or with a mandolin
Handful of dried wakame seaweed
Green vegetables e.g. sugarsnap peas, broccolli
Sesame seeds, for garnishing
Optional: herbs such as coriander and mint

4 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1-2 tbsp honey (start with one and adjust to liking)
Grated fresh ginger, to taste
Pinch of chilli flakes

Boil  water in a kettle and put noodles in a pan. Cover the noodles with hot water and set aside for 10 minutes. (You do not need to cook them by turning on the stove, you just need to let them soak.)

While the noodles are soaking, also soak the wakame seaweed.

Prepare the rest of the vegetables by slicing them to manageable size.

Once noodles and wakame have soaked, drain them and rinse them with cold water.

Mix all the ingredients in a big bowl and stir as much dressing as needed.

Serve immediately.
If making in advance, keep all the ingredients separate and mix when serving.

This post was kindly sponsored by Comvita Manuka honey. I’ve always been a big fan of their products and I’m so happy I got to partner with them. All opinions are my own.

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Mushroom, Shiitake & Spinach Dumplings

 I’m here with a super simple but super delicious recipe today of some dumplings!
Dumplings have always been a favourite of mine as they’re so easy to make a big batch of and freeze them for a later date (perfect for any university students who need some meal prep inspiration).

These are packed with vegetables but feel free to add some extra firm tofu into them to make them more hearty and filling.

I flavoured mine with ginger and sesame oil to give a true asian feel to the recipe, but if you can’t find these ingredients – not to worry! You can just season with salt and pepper and serve with soy sauce.

Mushroom, Shiitake & Spinach Dumplings vegan, dairy free
Makes 12-15 dumplings dumplings

These dumplings are simple but full of flavour. For the skins, you can make your own or they’re easy to buy from any super market these days (you’ll find them under the name ‘gyoza wrappers’ or ‘dumpling wrappers’). To cook, you can either steam them or pan fry them, resulting in a crispy base.
If freezing, make the dumplings and put them in a zip lock bag (don’t cook them)!

5 chestnut mushrooms, diced
2-3 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in water to rehydrate
3 handfuls of spinach
1/2 white onion, diced
Small knob of ginger, grated
Extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the onion and a pinch of salt, letting it cook for about 4 minutes until translucent.

Add the ginger and chestnut mushrooms, season, and cook for about 5 minutes until all the liquid has evaporated.

Add the spinach and sliced shiitake to the pan and stir around for 30 seconds until the spinach has wilted. Turn the heat off and add the sesame oil.

Add the filling into the dumplings and wrap.

To steam, put the dumplings in a bamboo steamer and cook for around 4 minutes, until the wrappers and soft and the filling is steaming.

Chicken, Kale & Coconut Rice

I remember seeing this recipe yeeears ago on Tracy’s blog and wanted to try it for so long.
I don’t know why I didn’t, I guess I never go round to it as I didn’t have all the ingredients on hand yada yada yada.
But the, I finally made it and OMG BEST DECISION EVER!

Such an easy, healthy meal: tender chicken thighs (they’re more flavourful than their breast counterpart), garlicky kale and crunchy toasted coconut, all on steaming hot brown rice. Comfort food at its finest.

Chicken, Kale & Coconut Rice dairy free, gluten free
Serves 2

This is one of my new go to meals, adapted from Shutterbean‘s Kale Salad w/ Coconut and Sesame Oil. Quick, easy and super delicious – what more could you want?! You can use left over chicken to make things even speedier and you can also make this into a fried rice situation by dumping everything into a wok.

2 chicken thighs, cooked and shredded (you can poach, bake or pan fry them)
A few handfuls of kale
Thick coconut chips (unsweetened)
1 garlic clove
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (or coconut oil if you want more flavour)
Salt and pepper (you can also substitute for soy sauce)
Sesame oil, for drizzling
Brown rice (you can also use quinoa, white rice, farro etc)

notes: to make this vegan, simple omit the chicken, you can eat it as is or add tempeh or tofu (which you may want to marinade in soy sauce, chilli flakes and sesame oil and bake till crispy.

Heat a dry pan and add coconut chips.
Frequently stir around so that they don’t burn.

Once browned, put in a bowl and set on the side.

Heat oil in a pan and add garlic and kale and cook the kale has started to wilt.

Add the shredden chicken and keep cooking until hot and kale has started to brown.

Drizzle the kale and chicken with sesame oil for extra flavour.

Serve ingredients on top of rice and dig in!