Asian Vegetable Noodle Salad

     One really nice way to get more healthful vegetables into your diet is with this delightful "salad".  I prepared a large batch last night, which will last me a couple of days.  One of the key ingredients is Shirataki noodles.  They can usually be found in Asian markets or a tofu-containing version can be found at Whole Foods.  For this salad I like to use the angel hair version.  What is really great about Shirataki noodles is that they have almost no calories.  They are made from glucomannan, a water-soluble dietary fiber from the Konjac root.  These are "wet noodles" so they come already prepared floating in liquid in a plastic bag.  Rinse the noodles well before using.  The liquid has what they call an authentic aroma.
     In a big wok or deep frying pan heat 1 - 2 tablespoons of coconut oil or sesame oil and throw in 2 pounds of chopped vegetables of your choice.  I used green pea pods, red peppers, broccoli, red cabbage, mushrooms, onions.  You can use any combination you desire - be adventurous, be creative.  Chuck in some of your favorite spices.  Throw in a little water, cover, and let steam for a few minutes.  Toss the vegetables several times till they are lightly cooked but still crunchy.
     At this point you want to add the noodles... 1 to 2  8oz packages.  Toss once again.  Now for the big flavor step, there are literally dozens of simple prepared sauces you can try from the Asian market or Asian section in your grocery store.  Simply add a little at a time and mix till you like the taste.  The other alternative is to make your own sauce/dressing.  Here is my favorite:

    2 cups rice vinegar
    1/4 cup fish sauce
    1/2 cup water
    1 Tbs. Chopped garlic
    2 tsp chili sauce
    Stevia extract or Dr Dave Double sugar to taste.

This makes a very low calorie authentic dressing for our vegetable noodle salad. Finish off the salad with sliced almonds or toasted sesame seeds and enjoy!