Zucchini Soba Noodles with Grilled Vegetables

I hate leftovers. To me, there is nothing worse than a soggy day-old salad or a mealy reheated potato. Ok, fine, maybe not ALL leftovers are terrible. In fact, Paul and I eat them almost everyday as frozen workday lunches. Out of necessity, I've created a number of go-to dishes that are not only delicious the first time around, but real leftover wins. Soba noodles, a buckwheat pasta (often gluten free), have a number of things going for them in the leftover department: they cook in 4 minutes, have a great nutty taste, are good for you, and they freeze like champions.  

Zucchini Soba Noodles with Grilled Vegetables is one of our summer staples. This lightning-fast vegetarian main helpfully works through some of our zucchini back-log, by incorporating zucchini ribbons with an unusual vinaigrette of mustard, soy sauce and lemon juice.  Add some grilled summer squash and red onions  and this dish is done in 10 minutes. 

Yield: Serves 4 as a light main

Ingredients:

• 9.5 ounces soba noodles
• 2 small pattypan squashes, cut into wedges
• 1 red onion, cut into thin slices
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 zucchinis, cut into thin ribbons (mandolin, knife, or julienne peeler)

Vinaigrette:

• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 3 garlic cloves
• grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
• 3 stalks green onions/garlic scapes
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup canola oil

Steps:

1. Bring water to a boil and cook soba noodles according to package directions until al dente (typically 4 minutes). Drain water and aside in large serving bowl.
2. In a food processor or blender, puree vinaigrette ingredients (mustard, garlic, lemon juice and zest, green onions or garlic scapes, soy sauce and oil).
3. Toss squash and onion in  a bowl with oil, salt and pepper, grill on preheated grill on high until grill marks appear and vegetables are cooked through (approximately 7 minutes). Turn during cooking 2-3 times to evenly cook.
4. Combine cooked soba noodles, zucchini ribbons, and grilled vegetables with vinaigrette and toss gently. Serve immediately, or freeze for leftovers.