The Secret sauce for living well is learning to balance healthy habits with personal pleasures — and doing so in a way that feels good. Food blogger and private chef, Phoebe Lapine, set out to find that sweet spot on a year-long lifestyle experiment that she documented in her new book, The Wellness Project.
After being diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder in her twenties, Phoebe felt overwhelmed by her doctors’ strict medical protocols. Through trial and error, fitness and nutrition, this balanced babe learned how to “do right by my body, without giving up my life” — an empowering discovery, to say the least. We’re sharing one of Phoebe’s clean-yet-craveable recipes from The Wellness Project — toss it into your takeout rotation and thank us later…
If cold sesame or peanut noodles are part of your usual comfort food rotation, this dish is a great take-out fake-out. Soba noodles are traditionally made from buckwheat, which, contrary to its name, is a gluten-free flour that’s rich in protein and fiber. It also has a wonderful earthy flavor that pairs well with toasted sesame oil, creamy almond butter and bright pickled vegetables from the farmer’s market. To make this noodle dish even more veg-centric, I go halvsies with spiralized zucchini. Depending on your preferences, you can, of course, use all soba or all zoodles (see market swap notes). But I think this version gives you the best of both worlds.
HEALTHY HEDONIST TIPS: Make sure to look for noodles that are 100-percent buckwheat, as many traditional soba brands now use wheat flour to create sturdier strands. Eden Foods and King Soba are my favorites. Reserve your radish leaves and use them to make a peppery puree. They’re a great addition to my asparagus stalk pesto.
MARKET SWAPS: If you don’t own a spiralizer, you can easily just use all packaged noodles. Simply double the quantity of soba and omit the zucchini. Or for a paleo version, vice versa. Use whatever veggies you find at the market for the quick-pickled topping. Carrots, fennel or sugar-snap peas would work well. To make a Thai version of this dish, swap vermicelli or flat rice noodles for the soba. Omit the sesame oil completely, and sub 2 tablespoons fish sauce for the tamari. Garnish with chopped peanuts instead of sesame seeds.
ALMOND-SESAME SOBA ZOODLES WITH QUICK PICKLED VEGGIES
Serves 2 as a main course / 4 as a side
Ingredients:
8 oz buckwheat soba noodles
1 bunch of radishes (about 6 medium), cut into ½-inch cubes
1 lb cucumber, cut into ½-inch cubes
¼ cup rice vinegar
2 tsp sea salt, divided
½ cup unsalted almond butter
1 small garlic clove
¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice (from 2 limes)
2 Tbsp gluten-free tamari
2 tsp raw honey
2 tsp dark toasted sesame oil
2 large zucchini (about 1 lb), spiralized into thin noodles
1 Tbsp black sesame seeds, for garnish
Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the soba noodles according to package directions, until al dente. Drain and rinse with cool water until room temperature, shaking out all the excess. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and set aside.
While the noodles are cooking, in a medium mixing bowl, combine the radishes, cucumber, vinegar and 1 teaspoon salt. Allow the veggies to marinate for 10 minutes, tossing occasionally.
In the bowl of a small food processor, puree the almond butter, garlic, lime juice, tamari, honey, sesame oil, 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ cup water. Add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you reach the consistency of peanut sauce. Transfer to the mixing bowl with the soba noodles. Add the zucchini and toss until everything is well coated. Divide among serving bowls, top with the quick-pickled veggies, and garnish with the sesame seeds.
Serve room temperature or cold, alongside your favorite Asian hot sauce.
Reprinted from The Wellness Project by arrangement with Pam Krauss Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) LLC, A Penguin Random House Company. Copyright © 2017, Phoebe Lapine LLC
Love a good zoodle recipe?
Explore our collection of spiralized goodness here!
ALMOND-SESAME SOBA ZOODLES WITH QUICK PICKLED VEGGIES
Serves 2 as a main course / 4 as a side
Ingredients:
8 oz buckwheat soba noodles
1 bunch of radishes (about 6 medium), cut into ½-inch cubes
1 lb cucumber, cut into ½-inch cubes
¼ cup rice vinegar
2 tsp sea salt, divided
½ cup unsalted almond butter
1 small garlic clove
¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice (from 2 limes)
2 Tbsp gluten-free tamari
2 tsp raw honey
2 tsp dark toasted sesame oil
2 large zucchini (about 1 lb), spiralized into thin noodles
1 Tbsp black sesame seeds, for garnish
Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the soba noodles according to package directions, until al dente. Drain and rinse with cool water until room temperature, shaking out all the excess. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and set aside.
While the noodles are cooking, in a medium mixing bowl, combine the radishes, cucumber, vinegar and 1 teaspoon salt. Allow the veggies to marinate for 10 minutes, tossing occasionally.
In the bowl of a small food processor, puree the almond butter, garlic, lime juice, tamari, honey, sesame oil, 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ cup water. Add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you reach the consistency of peanut sauce. Transfer to the mixing bowl with the soba noodles. Add the zucchini and toss until everything is well coated. Divide among serving bowls, top with the quick-pickled veggies, and garnish with the sesame seeds.
Serve room temperature or cold, alongside your favorite Asian hot sauce.
Reprinted from The Wellness Project by arrangement with Pam Krauss Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) LLC, A Penguin Random House Company. Copyright © 2017, Phoebe Lapine LLC
