Cucumber Mango Miso Noodle Bowl

Ingredients

• 6 ounces rice vermicelli noodles (or any noodle you like)
• 4 Persian cucumbers or 1 large English cucumber, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup chopped scallions
• 1 ripe mango, diced
• ½ jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced or minced
• 5 lime slices (1 for squeezing, 4 for serving)
• Extra-virgin olive oil or sesame oil, for drizzling
• ⅓ cup chopped cashews, toasted
• ¼ cup torn mint
• Sea salt
• Protein of choice, or (see baked tofu recipe below)
• 3 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon white miso paste
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1½ tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 to 4 tablespoons warm water

Instructions

1. Make the peanut-miso sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, miso paste, ginger, garlic, and lime juice. Whisk in the warm water, as needed, until the sauce is a drizzable consistency. Set aside.
2. Combine the cucumbers, scallions, mango, and jalapeño in a bowl with a few pinches of salt and a squeeze of lime. Toss and set aside.
3. Cook the rice noodles according to the package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Toss with a bit of olive oil or sesame oil to keep the noodles from sticking together.
4. Assemble bowls with the rice noodles, cucumber mixture, cashews, mint, generous drizzles of the peanut-miso sauce, and tofu, if using. Serve with lime slices and extra sauce on the side.