I know for those of you just barely feeling spring trying to force it’s way in, you won’t want to hear about the extreme heat we’ve had in southern California recently. With temperatures in the 90′s, it seems we have skipped right over the spring and jumped right into summer. I have switched from comforting winter soups and stews and roasted veggies to salads and cooler meals.

Soup that isn’t served hot may seem strange, but there are times when it just works and this is definitely one of them. It’s super fast to throw together — no slaving over a stove! — you don’t have to wait around for hours to let it simmer and there is very little prep.

This Chilled Green Curry and Kelp Noodle Bowl is loaded with beautiful spring colors and it’s so wonderfully satisfying and comforting. I am a sucker for any dish that becomes a work of art as soon as it’s plated, loaded with vibrant hues and, of course, healthy and nourishing seasonal ingredients. Green curry isn’t as spicy as some of the other curries can be, so you can control the heat level by adding as much jalapeño as you would like, leaving out the seeds or adding them in for more heat. I like spice, so oftentimes I even serve a little sriracha drizzled on top.

Serve this noodle bowl with both a fork and a spoon, as both are needed. You get the comforts of the creamy broth and the satisfying crunch from the raw veggies. So slurp up those noodles and raw veggies and enjoy every last bit of this vibrant, creamy, rich and healthy dish.

This recipe was originally shared on the Free People Blog BLDG 25

[print_this]Chilled Green Curry Kelp Noodle Bowl {Gluten-Free & Vegan}
serves 4-6

Creamy Green Curry Broth:

• 1 13.5oz can full-fat organic coconut milk
• 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in water for a least an hour or more, then rinsed
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 small jalapeño, stem removed plus seeds to taste
• 1 large handful baby spinach
• 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped ginger
• 1⁄4 cup loosely packed basil leaves (Thai basil if you have access to it)
• 2 tablespoons green curry paste, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 – 1 cup water

Add all of the ingredients, except the water to your high speed blender. Blend until smooth and creamy, slowly adding as much water as you’d like to achieve your desired thickness. Place the broth into the fridge in a tightly covered container and allow to chill while you prep the rest of the soup.

Kelp Noodles:

• 1 12 ounce bag kelp noodles
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Hot water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or sesame oil
• Pinch red pepper flakes

Empty the kelp noodles from the bag, drain and rinse well. Soak the noodles in hot water and baking soda for 15 minutes. Drain and rinse well. Add the noodles, oil and red pepper flakes to a bowl, toss it around and massage the oil into the noodles. Allow the noodles to marinate while you prep the veggies. Cut smaller with scissors before serving.

Veggies and Toppings:

• 1 small zucchini, spiralized or thinly sliced
• 1 large carrot spiralized or thinly sliced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 cup sugar snap peas, thinly sliced
• Red pepper flakes
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• Cilantro, basil or fresh mint

To Serve: pour the desired amount of broth into a large serving bowl. Top with the kelp noodles, veggies and garnish with fresh cilantro, basil or mint, thinly sliced scallions and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Serve immediately.

RECIPE NOTES:

If you don’t have access to, or don’t like kelp noodles, you can simply add more spiralized vegetables or you can opt for cooked rice noodles or other noodles of your choice

Feel free to play around with the veggies served on top, I went with what I had on hand and what I thought complimented the flavors best. Opt for other spiralized vegetables or you could thinly slice asparagus or cucumbers instead of the sugar snap peas, etc.

If you prefer a hot soup, heat the creamy broth slowly over a low heat, after blending, then serve as directed[/print_this]