Orange Tomato Soba Noodle Salad

With all these oranges and tomatoes making recipe appearances while there’s still snow on the ground, MIGHT have been a bit preemptive.

We had, like, one day of warm weather and I went crazy thinking of summer salads and dishes, forgetting how cruel Boston spring can be. My short sleeve day was fleeting and we’re back to frigid, “just let me hibernate” weather. In that brief moment of nicer climate though, I came up with this chilled soba noodle dish. Lovely in the moment, but not particularly realistic overall.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s delicious. It just may be a bit before it’s time.

Summer, where the eff are you?

1 8 oz package soba noodles, cooked and chilled

1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered

2 navel oranges, cubed

2 cups chopped spinach

1 cup cooked edamame

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup fresh basil

1/4 cup minced red onion

1 avocado, cubed

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp raw honey (or any liquid sweetener)

Juice of 1 lime

Sea salt and black pepper

• Toss together soba noodles, tomatoes, oranges, edamame and red onion
• In a food processor, pulse together sunflower seeds and basil and well mixed
• Toss into soba noodles
• Whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, lime juice, sea salt and black pepper
• Add avocado to noodles and pour dressing over it