Chilled buckwheat noodles and greens together make a wonderful salad. Add an ume-apple dressing, a ripe avocado and some toasted seeds, and you have a delish, easy-to-prepare vitamin and protein-filled 5-minute meal you’ll turn to over and over again for lunch or dinner.
Ume plums are powerfully medicinal. Despite their acidity, they have an alkalizing effect on the body, aiding digestion and settling the stomach. (I know someone who swears by umeboshi plums as a hangover cure!) They’re available in the Japanese or macrobiotic section of most health food stores. The sour flavor of the plums is nicely balanced by the sweetness of apple in this light dressing with a hint of sesame.
Ume Apple Buckwheat
for 4 light portions or 2 full meals
1 8oz pkg of 100% buckwheat noodles (Eden brand makes organic buckwheat noodles)
1 ripe avocado, diced
4 cups of loosely packed mixed greens
1 tsp black sesame seeds
Cook noodles as directed by package. Drain and rinse under cold water.
Combine noodles with greens and avocado. Drizzle with dressing and mix it all together. Sprinkle with black sesame seeds and serve!
dressing:
4 ume plums, stones removed, or 2 tsp ume plum paste
1 apple, grated
2 quarter-sized slices of fresh ginger, minced
1 Tbsp sesame seed oil
6 Tbsp brown rice vinegar
4 Tbsp apple or orange juice
Blend all ingredients.
