Using Your Noodle - Or Not!

Let's talk salad. To noodle, or not to noodle; that is the question.

Whether 'tis nobler in the mind and body to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous processed carbs or to take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing avoid them...  ahhhhh that's as far as I got. 

Lately I have been really desiring salads as a meal, or in addition to a main dish, when I am not having a meal replacement shake. I know I get enough greens each day, but the smell, crunch, and fresh taste of greens is super appealing to me. (We won't go into how nutrient-deficient they probably are!) I'm going to post a delicious salad idea which also supports a cleansing lifestyle.  If you're avoiding processed carbs for any reason, you may choose to eliminate the noodles from the recipe. I believe you receive plenty of carbohydrates if you consume vegetables. You can also have some noodles, and increase the amount of fresh vegetables. 

Thai Noodle Salad

• 7 oz somen (or other rice) noodles
• 1 large carrot, cut into thin strips
• 6 oz asparagus, rimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch lengths
• 4 oz snow peas
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
• 4 oz beansprouts 
• 4 oz can water chestnuts, drained and finely sliced (you may substitute with fresh jicama, cut into small slices
• 1/2 cup unsalted peanuts 
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• fresh cilantro leaves 

The Dressing

• 2 tbsp roughly torn fresh basil
• 3 tbsp roughly chopped mint
• 2/3 cup coconut milk
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• juice of 1 lime
• 2 green onions, finely chopped
• cayenne pepper

1. First make the dressing. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. season to taste with sea salt and cayenne pepper
2. Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling water, following directions on the package, until just tender. Drain, rinse under cold running water, and drain again.
3. Steam the carrots, asparagus, and snow peas over a pan of boiling water for about 5 minutes if desired - they should remain crisp. If you choose to steam them, plunge them into iced water after steaming, and drain.
4. Toss the noodles and steamed vegetables together in a large bowl with the red pepper, beansprouts, and water chestnuts. Pour the dressing over and toss well to combine. Sprinkle each serving with peanuts and garnish with lime wedges and cilantro leaves. 

Mom Shap's easy-to-make eggs

David, my husband, is one of those amazingly fortunate people who have such a high metabolism they require more calories than normal just to avoid losing weight. For this reason, although he starts his day with a shake just like I do, he follows it with a "traditional" breakfast. This generally includes good-quality eggs. Here are two hints to making eggs which take little time and make little mess:

• Heat coconut oil in a stainless steel skillet. Break eggs into skillet, and sprinkle with seasonings. I use sea salt, and a general-purpose mixed seasoning. Cook until whites appear set, add about 1/4 cup of water, and put a lid on it. Steam for about one minute, until the yolks are covered with a white film. The eggs will slide out of the pan. 
• For boiled eggs (hard boiled), heat water and eggs to boiling. Water should be about an inch above eggs. Once boiling, put a lid on the pot and take off heat. Set timer for 20 minutes. At the 20  minute point, drain water, and immediately fill pot with cold water. Change water until it remains cold. Peel under a stream of running water. 

What if you don't have time to prepare even 4 minute eggs? What's your backup plan? And what if you're concerned about the state of the food we consume? Here's an option - complete with recipes. Check it out! Click here to see what we're doing.

Thank you for reading this blog. Comments are welcome. See you again soon!

Ruth Shapovalov

425-802-2763

http://momshap.isagenix.com/us/en/recipes.dhtml