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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Link Love Sunday

Wow, so I’m finally back after about a million years where I’ve been doing exams! It feels super good to be back blogging again so hopefully this will be more regular… hopefully! 😉

Here are my favourite links from the week, showing some of my favourite recipes and the most hilarious video I have seen.

I literally have leftover red lentils in my fridge now so I am making this incredible dip!

And serving it with this seedy raisin bread because I live for that salty sweet combo.

This orange and avocado salad looks so simple but delicious.

My body has been screaming out for raw foods recently so these will hit the spot!

Rhubarb has been my jam recently – this rhubarb and almond cake looks like utter perfection.

Corn, zucchini and sun dried tomato in a salad?! YAAAS.

100000x yes to this chickpea shawarma dip. (pictured)

This spicy peanut tofu bowl looks so nourishing.

Can we just talk about these two songs? Obsessed.

Nearly peed myself watching Gayle.
And also make sure to watch this one, this one and this one please!

Be sure to follow me on Youtube, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook  and bloglovin’ for all the latest updates!

The Nourish Bowl

This bowl is exactly what I want when the weathers getting cold yet I want something super nourishing and will make me feel full of energy yet not bloated!

I have a serious obsession with sweet potatoes, but after my oven broke, I had a bit of a break as I didn’t quite know what to do with them. I recently tried steaming them and they were wondefully soft and creamy – not as caramelised and sweet as roasted sweet potatoes, but they’re good enough for me!
Sweet potatoes are a superfood: packed with vitamin A and slow releasing carbohydrates to keep your energy levels up.

Make sure you use the best ingredients you can get your hands on for this salad as it’s so simple and you want to really let the flavours of the vegetables shine!
Also, feel free to change up the ingredients – I love adding quinoa or lentils for a nice protein boost and if I have fresh herbs on hand I’ll chuck them in too.

The Nourish Bowl vegan, gluten free, dairy free
Serves 1

A few large handfuls of leaves (I like spinach, red leaf lettuce, massaged kale)
1 sweet potato, cubed
Handful of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
Handful of cucumbers, cut
1/2 avocado, cubed
1  tbsp hemp seeds
Freshly cracked pepper and sea salt
Extra virgin olive oil
1/2 lemon

The first thing you want to do is steam the sweet potato.
Boil some water in a pan and put the sweet potatoes in a steamer basket and steam for about 15 minutes or until tender.

*For the roasting option: Heat and oven to 180ºC and throw cubed sweet potatoes in a pan with some olive oil or coconut oil and pinch of salt. Cook for 35-40 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Once the sweet potatoes are done, put the leaves, tomatoes, cucumber, avocado and sweet potato in the bowl.

Top with a good sprinkling of hemp seeds (natures confetti!), lemon juice, pepper and sea salt and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.