Ramen Noodle Salad

Quick work day lunch. Lazy dinner.  Full of veggies, bright with flavor, and satisfying. Adaptable. Easy camping meal (and yes, there is still camping left to do this year!). This dish is all of those things, which is likely why it’s become a repeat hit for us this summer. 

I stocked up on ramen noodles from Costco early last spring, and since they’ve become a fall back when I don’t want to go to the grocery store, or when I don’t want to spend a lot of time cooking. When weather turned hot, ramen went from soup to salad with surprising ease. I had extra appreciation for this meal just a few weeks ago, when I packed up a container of veggies and two packets of ramen noodles as a camping dinner. It was one of the fastest, mess- and stress-free camping dinners I’ve had! .

This is more of a concept than a recipe. What I mean is you can swap ingredients in or out based on what you have. Just keep the concept in mind, which has a few core ingredient categories: ramen noodles, veggies and herbs, dressing, and crunchy toppings. From there, make it your own. Protein, like soy beans, tofu, or chicken/shrimp are optional bonuses.

Ramen Noodle Salad

Published September 22, 2020 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Serves: 2   |    Active Time: 15 minutes

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Ingredients:

2 packets ramen noodles (remove sauce or flavoring packets; they will not be used)

Water, for cooking noodles

2-3 cups fresh vegetables, such as: lettuce, spring greens, cubed avocado, julienned carrots, sliced cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, diced bell pepper, snow pea, sugar snap peas, sliced radishes

1/4 cup fresh herbs, such as: Thai basil, Genovese basil, mint, cilantro, sliced green onions

2 tablespoons crunchy toppings, such as: toasted sesame seeds, slivered almonds, toasted cashews

Optional: 4 ounces protein, such as: steamed soy beans (edamame), tofu, roasted chicken, or shrimp

Optional, for added spice when serving: chili flakes or minced fresh Thai chilis to taste

For the dressing:

1/4 cup white rice vinegar

2 tablespoons cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon sambal olek (chile-garlic sauce) or Sriracha

1 teaspoon maple syrup

Directions:

1. Cook noodles according to directions on package, but do not use any flavor packets or sauce included with them. Once cooked through, drain noodles through a strainer and rinse with cold water to cool.
2. Divide cold noodles amongst serving bowls. Arrange chopped vegetables over top, along with herbs, and optional protein.
3. In a jar, combine ingredients for dressing. Place lid on jar and shake to combine. Drizzle dressing over noodles and veggies.
4. Top with toasted sesame seeds and/or nuts. Add chili flakes or minced Thai chilies to taste for add spice, and serve.

Paleo Cashew Chicken Cabbage Cups

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There's a small Asian grocer not far from where I work. It's a landmark for me--it's been in that same spot for as long as I can remember. Even before I cared enough to read the street signs, I knew where I was when I saw the Asian market. It family owned shop, with over-stuffed aisles and at least ten different types of coconut milk, more than seven colors of curry paste, and a case of vegetables that can't be found anywhere else in town. (Edit: when my Dad read this post, he reminded me that there's a whole wall of different types of rice noodles, and buckets of live crabs). When I was young, the shop owners ran a restaurant next door. It was cheap, saucy, full of umami, and felt like the real-deal. I didn't recognize half of the things on the menu (that added to the effect) and ordered the same thing every week for the first decade of my life: Cashew Chicken. 

Then one day, when I was still in elementary school, I asked for my usual, and the shop owner refused to take my order. He threw down his pen. "Look kid," he said in a thick accent, "you order the same thing every time! This time, you must try something different". My dad looked at me, and nodded in agreement. I was instantly stressed. How could I choose anything other than Cashew Chicken?! I looked at the rest of the menu for the first time in my life. That was the day a new era began. (That new era was the era of the Spring Roll, and for the next decade of my life, I only ordered Spring Rolls from that little restaurant). (They were really good Spring Rolls). (And that was really good Cashew Chicken). 

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In recent years, the little shop and restaurant have changed hands. I don't visit it regularly anymore, unless I need something special, and that familiar man who made my Cashew Chicken from scratch for years is just a memory now. This recipe brings that memory to life in full swing: the vegetables are crisp and lightly blanched, the cashews are toasted and crunchy, and it's all smothered in a nutty savory sauce. Instead of serving this over rice, I serve it in cabbage cups, making it a grain-free meal. In place of store-bought hoisin sauce, I make my own paleo version. This recipe only uses 1 skillet, and goes from chopping board to fork in no more than 30 minutes. 

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Paleo Cashew Chicken Cabbage Cups

Paleo, Primal, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free    |   Caitlin Sherwood    |   

Serves: 5-7   |    Total Time: 30 active minutes

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Ingredients:

Filling:
• 1 pound chicken breast, cubed (Tip: ask your butcher to do this for you!)
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 small white onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
• 2 cups snow peas
• 1 cup carrots, julienned
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
• 1 8-ounce can bamboo shoots, strained
• 1 8-ounce can water chestnuts, strained
• 2 teaspoons arrowroot powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce OR Worcestershire Sauce
Paleo Hoisin Sauce:
• 1/4 cup soy sauce OR coconut aminos
• 1 tablespoon sunflower seed butter
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar OR rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 tablespoon Sriracha hot sauce
To serve:
• 1/3 cup whole unsalted cashews
• 1 small head savory cabbage

Directions:

1. Heat the coconut oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion, garlic, and ginger.
2. When the ginger is fragrant and starting to brown, add the chicken. Allow the chicken to brown on each side, stirring only occasionally. While the chicken cooks, stir together the the ingredients for the hoisin sauce.
3. Sprinkle the arrowroot powder into the skillet and stir so that is coats the chicken. Add the vegetables, bamboo shoots, and water chestnuts to the skillet, along with the fish sauce/Worcestershire Sauce and Paleo Hoisin Sauce, and cover. Stir well, so sauce is well distributed. Cook for 3-5 minutes, just until the vegetables are tender.
4. Sprinkle in the cashews, and red chili flakes. Carefully peal individual leaves from the head of cabbage. Wash and pat dry. Arrange the cabbage cups on serving plates and fill with a scoop of cashew chicken. Serve with a drizzle of Sriracha and chopsticks.

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