Miso tahini noodle salad

When you’re in need of the kind of belly-warming comfort that heals and nourishes, there’s nothing quite like the delicate richness that is umami. No matter what your mental state is, there’s something about umami-defined dishes that can be both satisfyingly hearty and summery light. Lately, though, I’ve been drawn for the cozy, grounding aspect—the kind of belly-warming that allows for better belly breathing.

My baby boy is ten today! Not a baby anymore, by a long shot. Yeterday, I spent the day with watery eyes and lumps in my throat. In the leadup, I had thought I was handling big milestones well. I even went so far as to internally congratulate myself for how comfortably okay I was. Which of course makes me remember why I personally find it best to steer clear of self-congratulations, for better or worse. Because when I spoke the words out loud: “Today is the last day you’re nine years old,” what was supposed to be a warm, mama-proud declaration reduced me to stuttering sobs.

Ten! No more single digits! Don’t get me wrong, ten is still childhood. But double digits hits different. A whole decade completed reverberates with a little bit of heaviness.

With young children, we can reside in a place where, whether logically or not, we feel we can provide shelter more or less always. With each passing year, the spell begins to break, and we realize more poignantly how little this is the case. What’s more, on reflection I can see how much my small sidekick has himself been shelter for me. I’m braver, stronger, even younger, when he’s at my side. I can advocate better, when it’s for him. I can stand taller. Letting go is scary.

But, I’m here to say, whether to remind myself or for someone else, letting go does not have to mean something lost. “Mommy, I’m not leaving!” Felix reassured me in my wobbly state yesterday. I got big, tight bear hugs, hand-holding on the way to school, book time, and snuggles. I won’t always have these, true. But my sweet boy did make me see how, as things change, we can still provide shelter for those we love. Not only that, but in being more of an active, concsious, and independent choice, offering that haven may be all the more meaningful.

Last night, Felix reached an awe-inspiring chess goal, hitting an online rapid ranking of over 1900. That may or may not mean anything depending on your chess background, but it was a celebratory big deal win for him. On achieving it, he threw a fist in the air and exclaimed, “Yes! Told you I’d hit 1900 before I was ten!” It’s moments like those your heart knows, you wouldn’t turn the clock back, as much as you might want to.

But back to these noodles! This dish is quick, easy, and versatile. I’m not really writing up a recipe, because anything goes. Just tie it all together with the dressing. You can use fresh vegetables, roasted, steamed, or a combination. You can do cucumbers, spring onions, fresh chopped greens, or go bright and colorful. You can enjoy these hot or cold. Warm, we dub them noodles, cold we call them salad--funny, the subtleties of words, right? Our usage of them is a lot like cultivating mindset. It’s the small shifts that make all the difference.

Can you spot the Lego panda in the pics? Lego love forever.

Forgive me in my emotionality for going Forrest Gump for a moment—really all foods deserve to be compared to life, don’t they? Analogies are endless. Today I believe life is like a bowl of noodles. You can throw anything in, toss them this way and that—they can handle it. They can be tangled and messy yet beautiful and bountiful, rich and delicious.

Today we are ten, and it’s going to be terrific, and savored. xo

Miso-tahini noodle salad
Serves 4-6

For the dressing:
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup yellow or white miso
2 1/2 tablespoons tamari
1/2 teaspoon sriracha
1/2  tablespoon maple syrup or to taste
1/2 inch piece fresh ginger, minced or grated
Water as needed to thin

For the noodles:
16 ounce soba or other noodles
Approximately 4-5Cups prepared vegetables of choice (pictured here, I used roasted broccoli, fresh pepper, steamed mukimame)—you can sautee, roast, steam, or keep fresh!
1 16-ounce package tofu, pressed and baked (optional)
Fresh lime, black sesame seeds, and cilantro to serve

In a small bowl or jar, combine all the dressing ingredients. Fork-whisk or shake well.
In a saucepan, prepare the noodles according to package directions.
Combine rinsed noodles in a large bowl with the dressing, tofu, and all the veggies. Divide into bowls to serve, garnished with cilantro, sesame seeds, and lime.