Noodle Salad with an Asian Sesame Dressing

img_3397This 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!)

img_3396

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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Review: Superiority Burger

Superiority Burger Review | Add A LittleThe famed Superiority Burger. Oh how I’ve heard so much about you.
As I had read that it was the ‘best vegan burger in New York’ you better believe I had high hopes for this monster.

And I’ve got to say, I was pretty impressed. To be honest, I’ve always been a huge veggie burger fan and make them at home quite a lot from random ingredients and I’d rate this one pretty highly as it was hearty and flavourful. The thing that really stood out to me was the thousand island sauce (I mean, I actually have no clue what it was but it tasted like that and seriously transported me back to my greasy, messy McDonald days). The burger had a great balance of flavours with the tang of the sauce, the super soft and fluffy burger bun, the thick and hearty patty (filled with all sorts of good stuff and the quinoa really came through) and just enough lettuce to make you not feel like crap after eating it but also giving you that junk food fix.

I should mention that the burgers are small here. Like mini hand size. BUT they are really filling because they’re filled with fibre and all that good jazz.

Overall it was good and I would most likely go again but I really am desperate to try the salads their that are always so inventive (charred broccoli, vegan smashed potato salad? sign me up)

Superiority Burger
Website: http://www.superiorityburger.com/
Address: 490 E. 9th Street. New York, NY 10009
Tel: (212) 256-1192

Review: 00 + Co

 So I’ve never found a super creative amazing vegan pizza in London so I knew that when I heard about 00 +co in New York I had to stop by!

Whenever I get pizza, I tend to go for the marinara or anything with lots of vegetables with no cheese. To be honest, I’ve never been a fan of fake cheeses that weirdly taste sweet to me – I would rather go sans cheese  and taste all the amazing ingredients (if you’re in London, you’ve got to try Franco Manca for the best marinara ever) or have a homemade nut cheese on top.

00 + co really stood out to me as their menu is so inventive and uses lots of interesting ingredients. Although they all sounded so delicious, I settled for the margarita with homemade cashew mozzarella on top. OH MY GOD. I really can’t even describe how good it was. I haven’t had a margarita in about 2 or 3 years and this totally made up for it.
The dough was crispy but doughy and cooked perfectly with bits of Maldon salt on top for extra flavour.
The tomato sauce was perfectly balanced, sweet and salty and actually tasted of truly ripe tomatoes.
And the main star of the show – the cheese. In my opinion the consistency was more similar to that or mascarpone than mozzarella, but it was to die for. My mum didn’t even realise that there was no dairy in this pizza until I told her after and saying she was completely shocked and speechless is an understatement.

I couldn’t recommend 00 + co enough, it’s definitely my favourite pizza spot in New York (well… Manhattan, because there are apparently some spots in Brooklyn that I need to check out next time like Vinnie’s and Screamer’s). If you have a chance, definitely go! Whether you are vegan, vegetarian or meat eater, I have no doubt you will be pleasantly surprised by this place!

00 + co
Address: 65 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10003, United States
Tel.: +1 212-777-1608
Website: https://matthewkenneycuisine.com/hospitality/double_zero/