Asian Noodle Salad

I was just invited to join you all and your cooking adventures. Apparently my rice was a hot item:) I don't really cook much, so my recipe contribution may be limited, but I did want to share one of my most recent favorite salads EVER. (Yeah, I said EVER!) I got it from a friend, but really it came from "The Pioneer Woman Cooks" website She has many other fantastic dishes, but I make this all the time and eat it for lunch for several days in a row.

Asian Noodle Salad

Makes: LOTS (feel free to leave out any part that your family doesn't like, and add in anything else that they do.)

SALAD INGREDIENTS:

1 packages linguine noodles, cooked, rinsed, and cooled

1/2 to 1 head sliced Napa cabbage

1/2 to 1 head sliced purple cabbage

1/2 to 1 bag baby spinach

1 red bell pepper, sliced thin

1 yellow bell pepper, sliced thin

1 orange bell pepper, sliced thin (if available)

1 small bag bean sprouts (also called “mung bean sprouts”)

3 sliced scallions

3 peeled, sliced cucumbers

1 bunch chopped cilantro -optional

1 can whole cashews -optional

Crunchy noodles -optional

DRESSING:

Juice of 1 lime

8 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons sesame oil

6 tablespoons soy sauce

1/3 cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons fresh ginger, chopped

2 cloves chopped garlic

2 hot peppers or jalapenos, chopped (or use red pepper flakes)

More chopped cilantro

Mix together salad ingredients. Whisk together dressing ingredients and pour over salad. Mix with tongs or hands and serve on platter.

*Dressing keeps up to three days before serving, WITHOUT cilantro.

I don't like the cilantro, so I leave it out of the whole salad. Then I just dress the salad as I eat it, that way the veggies don't get yucky over the course of a few days.