Sometimes a good dressing is what makes a salad. The problem is, they’re usually packed with sugar, salt and other unnecessary ingredients. This Baobab & Tahini Dressing on the other hand is filled with nutrients and a great way to play up your salads, like I have here with my Soba Noodle Salad Bowl. It’s tangy, creamy and smooth—but the best part is, it’s so easy to make! This salad bowl is super refreshing, so perfect for those warmer days.
LET’S TALK ABOUT THAT DRESSING
I’m a big fan of making my own dressings. I change it up depending on what ingredients I have and what mood I’m in, but tahini is always my go to. Using tahini is a quick and easy way to make a creamy, vegan dressing. Made from sesame seeds, it’s got a lovely earthy flavour and is a packed with healthy omega-3s, protein, calcium and other nutrients—great for balancing hormones and brain and heart health.
In this dressing there’s also calamansi lime juice, which I love it for its sweet and sour flavour, and baobab powder for extra tanginess and a boost of antioxidants and vitamins.
WHAT IS BAOBAB
Baobab powder, made from the fruit of Africa’s ‘Tree of Life’, is considered a superfood, rich in vitamin C, antioxidants, fibre (making it a powerful prebiotic) and several key minerals. With its high antioxidant content and anti-inflammatory properties, it is great for vitality and keeping our immune systems strong, as well as skin and digestive health. Taste-wise it has a fresh, citrusy flavour making it easy to pair with other ingredients.
What I love the most about it is that it’s great for iron absorption. Vitamin C is needed for the absorption of nonheme iron, the form of iron present in plant-based foods. As Baobab powder is high in vitamin C (58% of the recommended daily intake) and iron (9% of the RDI), it’s a good way to boost your intake of both, and absorption of iron. I love starting my mornings with a teaspoon of Baobab powder mixed in glass of apple cider vinegar and warm water!
I love adding superfood powders to my smoothies, but there are so many other creative ways to incorporate them into your daily meals. I created this recipe to demonstrate just that! Give this salad dressing a go and get creative. Have it with salad bowls, with cold noodles or even as a dipping sauce. Organicule Superfoods does a great organic Baobab powder that you can get here in Malaysia.
RECIPE
SOBA NOODLE SALAD WITH A TAHINI & BAOBAB DRESSING
SERVES 2
Ingredients
• 1 bundle of soba noodles, cooked
• 2 radishes, sliced
• Handful of pea sprouts
• ½ cucumber
• Handful of mint leaves
• ½ cup cooked chickpeas, drained
• 1 cup pumpkin, diced
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp ground paprika
• Pinch of salt & pepper
• 1 tsp Organicule hemp hearts
• 1 tsp black sesame seeds
• 1 calamansi lime, halved
Tahini & Baobab Salad Dressing:
• 1 tsp Organicule Baobab powder
•2 tsp lime juice (2 calamansi limes)
•½ tsp coconut nectar
•½ tbsp sesame oil
•1 tbsp water
•1 tbsp tahini
•Pinch of salt & pepper
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Method
1. Cool soba noodles. Place the cooked soba noodles in a bowl with a few ice cubes and place in the fridge to cool.
2. Roast chickpeas & pumpkin. Prevent the oven to 180°C. Place the chickpeas and pumpkin onto a baking tray. Drizzle with the coconut oil and season with the paprika, salt and pepper. Toss until evenly coated. Once the oven is preheated, place the tray in the oven. Roast for 20 mins or until the pumpkin is tender.
3. Make salad dressing. In a small bowl, mix all the dressing ingredients together until smooth. Set aside.
4. Assemble salad bowl. Using a peeler, peel thin strips of cucumber. Assemble the salad bowls by putting portions of the cold soba noodles, cucumber strips, roasted pumpkin & chickpeas, radishes, pea sprouts and mint leaves. Garnish with hemp hearts, sesame seeds and half a lime. Drizzle the salad dressing over.
This recipe is brought to you by:-
https://www.instagram.com/ssayang.vegan/
https://www.ssayang.com/all-recipes/2019/2/10/soba-noodle-salad-bowl-baobab-tahini-dressing
