Cold veg mango noodles mingle with creamy avocado, fresh herbs, and spicy sesame citrus dressing. So refreshing and great for summer!
I haven’t been inspired to make food in a creative way at all lately, hence the long gap between posts. I keep leaning on the same combinations and techniques with our day-to-day meals, all while this blog sits here without new content. I have to be honest and tell you that it’s been putting me in a bit of a weird shame spiral. I come up with something to post and then talk myself out of posting it because a) it probably won’t get too much engagement, b) the recipe is too simple, c) something like it already exists on the internet, d) I am literally the only person that wants to eat this, or e) there are thousands of other things more important than this recipe blog going on in the world right now. I feel awful about it!
So all of this runs through my mind and before I know it, the negative self talk hits a a point of no return. I start wondering what the point is, spend an hour on NBA Reddit, sink deeper into the shame spiral by reminding myself that a lot of people would love to have my job, go out to do something else, start angrily pulling weeds in my garden because I’m in a MOOD, and then I basically forget about the whole thing. I am not looking for compliments and reassurances right now! Just sharing my experience.
There are a lot of content streams on the internet/social media that people with websites or any level of influence feel pressure to be a part of. When Instagram launched IGTV this week (in addition to stories, curated story highlights, and live events), something snapped! Some of these platforms are incredible for certain people and certain brands. I understand their function. Sometimes it just feels like these entities want to keep us glued to our phones though.
As a content creator, it feels like these platforms are constantly asking for more from me so that I can grow my business on THEIR terms. With everything I post, my true hope is that someone will be inspired to get off of their phone and cook something (or just live their life, whatever!). I’d be lying if I didn’t mention that I also truly hope that whatever I post gets a ton of clicks so that this entity can continue to be financially viable. That is a very real factor. I know in my heart that trying to keep up with these tools is counterintuitive to my goals in this life. Making stuff just to be on a consistent posting schedule will inevitably lead to useless crap that nobody needs, me feeling gross about it, lower engagement etc.
It becomes this delicate science of playing the game to be seen. You post photos/videos with a certain type of styling and colour scheme. You make a clickbait-y title. Maybe you’ll add a dash of TMI to your captions, who knows! I sort of reject the game entirely, then subsequently feel like I’m not doing it right or possibly screwing myself over, and then eventually I arrive at this place of “why even bother?” It’s such a bad place to be! You kill the dream before it even starts. In my case the “dream” is actually getting a post up to share with you all. It’s a small thing, but also a big thing given the mental blocks that can fall into place.
When I’m in the zone of inspiration and ideas, I love sharing photos, recipes, the creative process, and my human experience here and on Instagram. I truly do! I’m a firm believer in the idea that if something doesn’t add to your life, it subtracts. Period. If my posts can add to someone’s life and if I’m actually contributing something of value, we’re all set. I get into these (frankly quite curmudgeonly) ruts once a year or so, and the thing that always brings me back is this: say no like it’s your superpower and do the next right thing until you hit your goal, however big or small that goal is.
I will be over here nurturing my known strengths, working on my goal of adding to your lives through delicious plant-based recipes, shutting out those things that just aren’t meant for me, possibly dreaming of a silent retreat in Arizona (kind of lol but kind of serious), and just steadily amplifying that tiny voice that says “I can do all things.” This is a giant load of STUFF for a post that only mentions cold veg mango noodles and hot/sweet sesame dressing in the title, oops. Thanks for making it to the end and for being here :)
Cold Veg Mango Noodles with Spicy Sesame Citrus Dressing
Ingredients
Spicy Sesame Citrus Dressing
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar/maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon gochujang chili garlic paste
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- 1- inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated with a microplane/rasp
- sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 5 tablespoons avocado oil
Veg and Mango Noodles
- ½ cup shelled frozen edamame
- 1 large zucchini
- 1 large English cucumber
- 1 barely ripe mango
- ½ cup packed and mixed soft herb leaves like: cilantro, Thai basil, mint, or sweet basil
- big handful of sprouts of your choice (I like sunflower shoots)
- extra toasted sesame seeds for garish
- 1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted & diced
Equipment
- Spiralizer or Julienne Peeler
Notes
- My partner and I polished off this whole recipe ourselves as a base for some grilled veg and a few other things. As a side, I think it could be stretched out to 4-6 servings.
- You could add some cooked and cooled brown rice noodles to this to make it a bit more hearty.
- This salad would be amazing with some grilled tofu that had been marinated in something spicy.
- I prefer the mango to be just on the edge of ripe here. You want a bit of sweetness, but you don’t want it to be mushy.
- This salad is best when prepared right before serving. You can prep all components and toss with dressing at your destination, but even then I find that the cucumber and zucchini seem a little limp and not as crisp.
Instructions
- Make the spicy sesame citrus sesame dressing: in a sealable jar, combine the orange juice, lime juice, agave nectar, gochujang, sesame seeds, grated ginger, salt, pepper, and avocado oil. Seal the lid on tight and give the jar a good shake. Check the dressing for seasoning, adjust if necessary, and set aside.
- Set the frozen edamame in a small bowl and cover them with boiling water. Set aside.
- Using a julienne peeler or spiralizer (affiliate links), turn the zucchini and cucumber into long noodle-like strands. The inner parts of each vegetable tend to have a lot of seeds that are hard to cut into strands. Save these parts for another use (like smoothies or a for juicing). Place the zucchini and cucumber “noodles” in a large bowl. Drain the edamame and add them to the bowl.
- Peel the mango and cut it into matchsticks/thin strips. Add the mango to the large bowl. Lightly chop the soft herbs and add them to the bowl as well, reserving a few for garnish. Add the sprouts to the bowl as well.
- Give the dressing one more shake and pour it over the veg and mango noodles. Toss everything to combine and lightly coat each vegetable “noodle” with dressing.
- Garnish the top of the cold veg mango noodles with extra sesame seeds, herbs, and avocado. Serve immediately.
This has been my GO TO recipe the past 3 summers. Really interesting, bright flavors that work just as well for a simple weekend lunch as they do for impressing dinner guests. I use both yellow and green zucchini for color and omit the cucumber as I feel it makes the salad a bit runny. This is excellent served with roasted salmon or grilled chicken. TOTAL HIT. Your recipes are genius, Laura!
I often add some buckwheat soba or rice noodles and some type of protein to this. It still works with chili flakes instead of the gochujang which is hard to find near me. Yum!!!
Sooo delicious! The best way to use up the pile of cucumbers and zucchinis sitting in your fridge!
Laura posted this on her insta story today and I am so glad because I had forgotten about it! Adding back into my summer meal options ASAP. Such a delicious, not too filling but satisfying lunch to look forward to.
Delicious, thank you!
I know you’re not looking for compliments right now/in response and this is not meant to be surface-y and disingenuine but I want you to know that I get excited to read your blog when I see it arrive in my inbox and I absolutely LOVE the recipes you share. I am addicted to the shakes/smoothies you provide recipes for and am considering attempting to make every recipe on the website.
Thank you for sharing delicious nutrition! Please keep doing so. It definitely “adds” to my life!
Cassie
Wow! Yummy looking recipe might try with spiralized beets too!
Delicious. I used a Granny Smith apple instead of mango and served with spicy grilled tofu. It was a hit! Thank you for creating and sharing such a tasty treat :)
OMG.. everything I love is there!!! And I never thought about using thai basil raw in a salad instead of a wok cooked dish. Thanks a lot for the receipe!
You have to have an aim in what you do, otherwise as you say you end up with the pointless cycle of social media where people spend their lives just making entertainment for people who are spending their lives entertaining the rest. Where even something like meditation ends up being lauded as “better health”; “less stress”; “better results in school”; “more efficient in the workplace.”
All very nice, but what’s it all for in the end of the day? I’m grateful to see you and a few others with a genuinely kind and somewhat meaningful aim of enriching the lives of others through your work- and talking about it too. I also love your recipes and use them often.
Thank you!
Wow! This meal looks amazing and I love the photography. Well done!!
This recipe is awesome! Loved the texture of the zoodles (would never have thought of mixing cucumber snd zucchini) and the balance of flavors!
I was a bit sceptical about the amount of gochujang and ginger, fearing that it would be too spicy, but the cucumber is so watery that this spice is needed.
I doubled the sauce because I like lots of dressing and my vegetables were big. I used fresh peas for the edamame and nectarines for the mango because that‘s what I had and what’s in season over here (Just for curiosity I checked in the supermarket, mangos are coming from Brazil at the moment…)
I think this recipe is super flexible, I can see me preparing it with shelled fava beans instead of soy, adding sweet peas, using peaches or adding white beans.
This recipe is a HUGE HIT with me ( I do the taste test as I create ) and I love the HOT honey and sesame sauce. I may just convert my hubby to MORE plant based eating – as your recipe – Laura – ramps up the heat – and my hubby is a Vindaloo curry kind of guy – so can’t wait to hear his comments.
I didn’t have edamame – so used frozen peas. I didn’t even pour hot water over them.
I gave away my spiralizer so I tried my potato peeler. I cut the zucchini and cucumber into lengthwise strips and peeled them. The last little bits were julienned and it worked well.
Thank you Laura !!! You are an amazing young woman.
I have shared your blog with many of my friends who are influenced by Dr. Shane Williams – (plant based eating with no added oil) and are always on the hunt for tasty recipes.
Thanks for your honesty with respect to the ridiculous, anti-human pressures that the ad based internet economy has put on creative people, entrepreneurs and many others who depend on it to make their living. I too am tired of the constant updates in which we trade mind space and energy for more time looking and swiping and clicking without much conversation about what we are trading in for those more addictive experiences. I love your blog because you are trying to make something good and beautiful, and you often succeed. I don’t follow you because you have the most clickable links or the trendiest insta account. Keep on keepin on. And know that many of us feel deeply the sentiments you have quickly expressed here.
This blog (and your cookbook) add to my life. Thank you!
I love your recipes Laura, I learn a lot from them. I have tried this recipe yesterday and i have enjoyed it, looking forward to try more of your recipes.
Keep up the good work!
You just came to my over ripe mango and heat wave weather rescue with this recipe. Thanks so much. I love your blog and refer everyone that loves fantastic creative food to the First Mess. Also, I absolutely love anything you write about. I always feel like I’m right there with you.