Cold Soba Noodles

Rinse and dry vegetables. Bring a large pot of water to boil. To prep peas, snap off very ends of pod and pull string down the entire length pea. Slice in half on a diagonal and set aside. Peel and slice carrot into matchsticks, about 1/4 inch long. Chop green onions for garnish. Roughly chop peanuts. Place ice in a large bowl and cover with water; this will be the bowl used to chill soba noodles after cooking.

In a small pot, toast sesame seeds over medium heat, watching carefully as they will brown quickly -- make sure they don't burn! We are looking for a light brown color. Remove from heat and move to a small bowl.

In the same small pot, add tamari and brown sugar. Heat slowly over low heat to dissolve sugar, stirring constantly. Set aside once dissolved, about 2 minutes.

To cook soba noodles, carrots and snap peas, place into rapidly boiling water. Stir well and be sure there is enough water for everything to be fully submerged. Cook for about 5 minutes: soba noodles can overcook easily, so we check noodles at 4 minutes to test for readiness. Add edamame at the last minute before draining.

Drain noodles and vegetables, and then submerge in bowl of ice water. One chilled well, drain again and toss with tamari mixture and sauce mix of sesame oil, sriracha and vinegar.

To serve, place ¼ of the noodles into a bowl, top with green onions and sesame seeds and chopped peanuts. Enjoy!