All-In-2016: Chinese Crunch Salad (Vegan-ish)

I am both slightly chagrined and slightly amused at the public outcry of some vegans over consuming honey.  Yes, an animal creates it, but do you know how bees make honey?  You can find the unabridged process here, but I'll spare you some light reading: they suck nectar into their stomachs and then throw it up into another bee's mouth, over and over, until it turns into honey.  In one final purge, they vomit it into honeycombs for storage.

Disgusting?  Sure.  But bees are just doing what they were designed to do.  I disagree with PETA on this one: by and large, even commercialized beekeeping isn't particularly inhumane, except in the most extreme circumstances.  Still, if you're vegan and you feel differently, substitute agave nectar.  But, as it stands, this dish is technically vegan-ISH, thanks to the bee barf.

The last recipe of the day: Chinese Crunch Salad

Software:

3 oz dry pasta (I used some buckwheat soba I had leftover from an earlier recipe)

1 c shredded cabbage (the same stuff I used for my Pad Thai Pizza...Meal Mentor is really big on not wasting ingredients)

3/4 c chickpeas, drained and rinsed (leftover from the Curried Rice Bowl...see what I mean?)

1/2 c sugar snap peas

1/5 c shelled edamame

1 carrot, shredded

1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced

2 green onions, chopped

4 tsp honey/agave

1 tbsp rice vinegar

1 1/2 tsp soy sauce/tamari

1 1/2 tsp lime juice

1/2 tsp ground ginger

(Note: the last five ingredients are for the dressing.  I don't usually use exact measurements and just go by taste.  Feel free to experiment.  Also, fresh ginger works very well instead of the powdered stuff)

Code:

1. Cook pasta in a small pot.
2. While pasta is cooking, zap the snap peas and edamame in the microwave, just to thaw).
3. Whisk together dressing ingredients (honey/agave, vinegar, soy sauce/tamari, lime juice, ginger) in a small bowl.
4. Toss carrot, cabbage, chickpeas, snap peas, and edamame in a large bowl.
5. When pasta finishes, drain and rinse thoroughly under cold water, then add to the bowl.
6. Toss all the ingredients together (kitchen tongs work best to get everything distributed).  Pour dressing over and toss again.

Serves Two!  This can also be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to a week.  I had mine for lunch today with half of a pita bread, just to make it as ethnically obscure as possible.