RAINBOW NOODLE SALAD WITH CORIANDER AND PEANUT PESTO

This baby packs a flavour punch + is filled with loads of veg to help you get your daily fix.
Serves 4-6

Pesto
2 cups coriander leaves, firmly packed (1 large bunch – leaves, stalks, 2 well-washed roots)
1/2 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts
1.5 tsp soy sauce
1/3 cup olive oil (a lightly flavoured one will be best)
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp black vinegar or rice wine vinegar could work
juice and zest of one lime
1 spring onion, roughly chopped
1/2 a hot red chilli (or a whole mild one)
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
1 small clove of garlic, crushed

Salad
300g noodles (rice stick, egg or even spiralized zucchini would work)
1 large carrot, spiralized or grated
1 cup of cucumber, halved and thinly sliced
2/3 cup of coriander leaves
1/2 a red chilli (finely sliced)
3 spring onions finely sliced
1 cup bean shoots
1/4 of a small red cabbage finely shredded (2.5 cups approx)
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
pinch salt
3 Tbs roasted peanuts

Place cabbage in a bowl and dress with vinegar and salt, toss to combine and set aside to pickle slightly (this creates a much milder cabbage flavour and better texture for your salad).

Make pesto: Put all ingredients in a small food processor and blend until pesto consistency is reached. Taste and adjust seasoning and flavouring as required. Scrape into an airtight container.

Make salad: Cook noodles, drain & refresh briefly in cold water then drain again.
Toss with 2 Tabs of the pesto you’ve just made.
Drain cabbage, combine with noodles, coriander, carrot, cucumber, spring onion, and 2/3 of the bean shoots. Add more pesto to this mix if you want to.
Top with remaining bean shoots, the sliced chilli & peanuts. Dot another Tab of pesto around.

P.s This keeps in the fridge for lunches for a couple of days.