Ingredients: Dressing: 3/4 cup water 2 Tbs rice wine vinegar 2 Tbs lower-sodium soy sauce 1/4 cup tahini* or peanut butter 2 Tbs sugar 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional) 1 clove garlic, minced 2 tsp minced fresh ginger 1/2 pkg (5 oz) silken tofu Pasta Salad: 1 cup fresh green soybeans 1/2 lb snowpeas, in 1" pieces 1 red bell pepper, chopped 1 cup broccoli florets 2 carrots, thinly sliced 8 oz vermicelli, broken in half 1 tsp dark sesame oil 1/4 cup green onions, thinly sliced Directions:1. Prepare the dressing by puréeing all the ingredients in a blender until smooth. Refrigerate until serving time. 2. Cook the soybeans until just tender, about 15 minutes. 3. Blanch the snowpeas, bell pepper and broccoli (one type of vegetable at a time) in boiling water for 1 minute each. Blanch the carrots for 2 minutes. Rinse the vegetables in cold water and drain well. 4. Cook the vermicelli according to package directions. Rinse with cold water, drain, and toss with the sesame oil. Add the soybeans and blanched vegetables and refrigerate until serving time. 5. To serve, pour the dressing over the pasta, add the green onions, and toss well. |