Green Tea and Zucchini Noodles with Honey-Ginger Sauce

Zucchini noodles are a popular way of using up the abundant vegetable, but I find a bowl of raw zucchini strings a bit unappetizing. Mixed half and half with green tea soba noodles, though, I could eat a whole lot of it. I tossed this easy combination with an Asian-inspired honey-ginger-soy sauce and a few handfuls of sliced herbs, and I gobbled it up. You could get creative and add sliced carrot, bell pepper, and scallions for additional flavor and crunch, but I wanted to keep this version all green. However you decide to spin it, it’s a healthy and refreshing summer lunch.

Green Tea and Zucchini Noodles with Honey-Ginger Sauce

Serves 2-3.

• 8 oz. green tea soba noodles (or regular soba noodles)
• 1 large or 2 medium zucchini
• sea salt
• 3 TBS olive oil
• 1 TBS grated fresh ginger
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and grated
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 2 TBS honey
• 2 TBS soy sauce
• juice from 1 Meyer lemon
• 15-20 leaves fresh basil
• 15-20 leaves fresh mint

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the soba noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. Use a julienne peeler to cut the zucchini into long noodles. Place zucchini noodles in a colander and salt liberally. Place colander over a bowl and let drain for at least 15 minutes.
3. Heat the olive oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the grated ginger and grated garlic and fry until golden brown and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent sticking. Remove from heat and stir in the sesame oil, honey, soy, and Meyer lemon juice until a smooth sauce is formed. Add the sauce to the soba noodles and toss to coat.
4. Julienne the basil and mint leaves by stacking the leaves, rolling into a cylinder, and thinly slicing. Add the julienned herbs to the noodles and toss. Squeeze the drained zucchini noodles to remove any additional liquid, then add the zucchini noodles to the other ingredients. Toss to combine. You may need to run a fork through the noodles to separate the strands and better combine both noodle types. Serve at room temperature or chilled.