Now that I’m in my second trimester of pregnancy, I find myself all of a sudden ravenously hungry. My blood sugar drops and if I don’t have a healthy snack nearby I get really dizzy and disoriented. No fun! I’ve been aiming to make one healthful salad at the beginning of the week that I can load up with veggies and feel good about eating throughout my day.

This week I made a Sesame Kale Chilled Soba Noodle Salad that my whole family loves (I’ve had to make a few batches of it!). It’s crunchy and refreshing and, best of all, easy to make!

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. soba noodles (or rice noodles if gluten free) 1 bunch of lacinato kale, deribbed and chopped
• 3 large carrots 1 cup edamame (cooked and shelled) 1 bunch scallion (about 6) , chopped
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds A squeeze of lime

Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce (or shoyu)
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar 1.5 tablespoons sesame oil 1 garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon minced ginger

METHOD:
Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook noodles. Drain and toss with a drizzle of cooking oil so that they don’t stick together. Chill in refrigerator. Peel the carrots. Shave with a peeler or mandolin and set aside. Whisk together sauce ingredients. Set aside.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add chopped kale, cook for about 1-2 minutes (tossing it as you go – bringing wilted leaves from the bottom to the top). Add edamame and scallions. Cook, stirring, for about 30 more seconds.

Pour in the dressing, noodles, shaved carrots, and sesame seeds. Toss together. (If your skillet isn’t large enough for this, transfer to a large bowl). Squeeze lime on top. Taste and adjust seasonings.

-Elizabeth