Chilled Soba Noodle Salad

MAKES 4 TO 6 SIDE-DISH OR 2 MAIN SERVINGS

Asian food became one of the things I missed the most on a migraine diet, but I’ve developed some recipes to help—like this one. Here, cold soba noodles are a wonderful substitute for peanut noodles on a hot summer day. Coconut aminos made from the sap of a coconut blossom is my favorite substitute for soy sauce. If you want to ensure you are eating gluten-free, make sure to buy 100 percent buckwheat noodles. (Some soba noodles are combined with wheat.) The taste of the sunflower seed butter can make or break this recipe, and brands really fluctuate in taste. Make sure you like the sunflower seed butter you’re using before giving this recipe a try. I used Trader Joe’s Sunflower Seed Spread which is unsweetened and lightly salted. Pretty Thai makes a clean sweet chili sauce. If you can’t find a safe brand, you may need to add 1 or 2 teaspoons of honey to the sauce.

8 ounces buckwheat soba noodles or rice noodles

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil, plus more as needed

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

2 tablespoons tahini

2 tablespoons unsweetened sunflower seed butter

2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

2 teaspoons coconut aminos

1½ teaspoons ground ginger

1–2 tablespoons cold water

Honey (optional)

1 cup sliced English cucumber

½ cup chopped green onions

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Sriracha (sulfite-, citrus-, and MSG-free), sweet chili sauce, and salt to taste

Cook the soba noodles according to package directions, drain well, and toss with a little bit of toasted sesame oil to prevent the noodles from sticking together.

Meanwhile, in a small dry skillet toast the sesame seeds over low heat until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, mix together the 2 tablespoons sesame oil, tahini, sunflower seed butter, coconut aminos, vinegar, and ginger. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons or two of cold water to thin it out to a sauce consistency. Taste and add salt or honey, if desired. Add the noodles, cucumber, green onions, and cilantro. Toss well. Add salt to taste. Top with Sriracha and/or sweet chili sauce to taste. Sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds and serve.

CONDIMENTS TIP Some brands of coconut aminos are fermented, so if you’re still in a chronic state, I would recommend just leaving it out until you feel you’re ready to expand the diet a little more. Sriracha can be tough to find without sulfites. I can occasionally find a good brand in Whole Foods, but my favorites are Fix or Lingham’s, both of which can be ordered from Amazon.