Soba Time.

As my sister mentioned the other day, health and fitness is considerably the 'in trend' these days. Wherever I go I see 'organic' this or 'kettle-bell' that. Over the last five (or so) years, I can definitely say that personally I have really turned a corner with food choices and through trial and error, found benefits in a variety of training techniques and more nutritious, cleaner foods than previously. My family included. 

I don't mean that before I would eat a packet of chips for lunch and drink coke with every meal; definitely not! My mother was especially concerned with making sure that even as tiny toddlers, we learnt the importance of eating vegetables, fruits, whole-grain meals and keeping the word moderation in our minds when it came to all her delicious Finnish goodies (though when hillomunkit are present, restraint goes out the window). Simple and subtle changes regarding brands, quantities and even a variety of cooking choices/techniques have really proven to change the way I feel daily. 

I absolutely adore cooking and love experimenting with different flavours and recipes, hence I thought it'd be a great idea to add in a few of my thoughts on the good, the bad and the ugly dishes that come out of my kitchen. 

To start off with, this afternoon I decided to try make a simple stir-fry out of organic soba noodles and anything and everything green+red that I could find out of the fridge. The result? Delicious! And it literally took me 10 minutes to chop all vegetables, marinate some chicken and boil the water ready for the noodles. 

Many of you have probably eaten soba noodles a hundred times before (it's an Asian cooking staple after all) however, I have rarely found noodles to my taste. Soba noodles (for those not too sure) are a Japanese pasta made from buckwheat. The good points are:

• That they contain a high source of antioxidants, magnesium, iron, vitamin B, fibre and protein.
• Can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels as well as reduce the risk of diabetes, aid the digestion process, prevent gallstones and increase energy levels. 
• GREAT wheat/gluten free alternative for those suffering from allergies. Do always check the packaging though for information regarding whether they are a wheat/gluten free brand. 
• Can be eaten hot or cold and be worked into stir-fries, soups and salads. 

Keep in mind as you can see in the image below, these noodles also contain a lot of carbohydrates. Hence portion control and exercising is essential. So take it nice and easy, experiment with your own favourite choice of vegetables and marinade (if preferred) and enjoy the lovely taste of these thin, nutritious noodles!

Ps, I should add - just before serving, I sprinkled what I thought was the tiniest amount of sesame oil to give it that extra kick. As a warning for others - make sure you don't mix too much in! I didn't realise how strong the flavour of the oil would be and it almost took over the entire dish. If you know of a particular flavour that goes well with these noodles, gives us a buzz in the comments :) To everyone reading, have a great morning/day/night! 

For more information and source: http://www.hakubaku.com/content/view/52/74/

Source: http://www.eatfitfood.com.au/