Recipe: Buckwheat Noodles with Cashews and Greens

Harvard Dining Services has prepared a version of this recipe, which comes from Eat, Drink, and Weigh Less, by Mollie Katzen and Walter Willett, M.D. Read more about Mollie Katzen in "Delicious Minimalism," September-October 2006.

• 1 T. light-colored honey
• 1 T. cider vinegar
• 2 t. low-sodium soy sauce
• 4 oz. uncooked Japanese-style buckwheat noodles (soba)
• 10 oz. baby spinach leaves or small-leaf mixed braising greens, coarsely chopped
• 2 T. Chinese-style toasted sesame oil
• 1 t. minced or crushed garlic
• Salt
• ¹/₂ cup chopped cashews, lightly toasted
• Red pepper flakes (optional)

1. Place the honey in a small bowl. Add the vinegar and soy sauce, and stir until the honey dissolves. Set aside.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook until tender (about four minutes).
3. Meanwhile, place the prepared greens in a medium-large microwave-safe bowl.
4. When the noodles are done, drain them and immediately add them to the greens in the bowl. Add the sesame oil and garlic, and mix with a fork or tongs, bringing up the greens from the bottom so that they wilt from the contact with the hot noodles.
5. Place the bowl in a microwave and cook on high for one minute to further wilt the greens.
6. Remove from the microwave, and add the honey-soy sauce-vinegar mixture. Stir with the fork or tongs as you add salt to taste.
7. Sprinkle the top with cashews and red pepper flakes, if desired, and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Yield: three servings. Protein: 12 grams. Saturated fat: 4 grams. Calories: 402.