So, I've decided that this week on the blog is going to be all about... drumroll please... Mermaids! Ta-da! That's right. It's going to be a week full of mermaid inspired dishes; eats and treats alike. This Mermaid Noodle Salad is an old family favorite that originated in one of my daughter's cook books, but has been tweaked and adjusted so much that it's a whole new recipe by now.

After carefully transcribing all of my notes on it in the cookbook, I finally settled on the perfect end result. One thing that I love most about this noodle salad is that you can serve it hot or cold. Being as it's the middle of summer here in Texas though... I'm naturally opting for a cold noodle dish myself. However, if you still feel like being a mermaid in the winter months, feel free to enjoy it warm! Just serve it right away instead of giving it an hour+ of chill time.

Okay, so this noodle salad starts out with dry ramen noodles or 'Chinese style noodles'. My grocery store carries them in the international aisle with the other Asian inspired foods. But, if you can't get your hand on them, just pick up a package of cheap ole' traditional packaged Ramen and immediately discard the seasoning packet. Yuck! We will not be using that. In fact, we're making our own seasoning and dressing from scratch for this one.

I loaded this dish up with all the veggies. Okay, so maybe not all of them. But, a lot of them. Carrots, sugar snap peas, celery, and even suck in a little red bell pepper. I went with a red bell pepper because it's the sweetest and can be hidden away a little better than the others. Since I served mine as a cold noodle salad, I placed the noodles over some fresh baby spinach. But, if you're serving this as a warm dish, try some wilted greens instead!

Since this is 'supposed' to be a cold dish, it's perfect as a meal prep. for lunch or dinner. Just make it ahead of time and enjoy when you're ready. For lunch, just pack it up in a lunch box with a cold/ice pack and you've got your lunch already... ready!

Like I said, this is an old family favorite. I enjoy mine the most cold and over some fresh spinach, with a little bit of sliced avocado, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds too.

Mermaid Noodle Salad
TheSkinnyFork.com

The Skinny:
Servings: 4 • Size: About 1 1/2 Cup • Calories: 195.4 • Fat: 4.2 g • Saturated Fat: 0.8 • Carb: 30.2 g • Fiber: 2.4 g • Protein: 11.5 g • Sugar: 5.5 g • Sodium: 347.9 mg

Ingredients:
Salad:
3 Oz. Dry Ramen Style Noodles
1 C. Cooked Chicken Breast
1/2 C. Chopped Celery
1/2 C. Grated Carrots
1/2 C. Red Bell Pepper
1/2 C. Sugar Snap Peas (Snow peas work too!)
1 Green Onion, Chopped

Dressing:
3 Tbsp. Light Mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice
4 Tsp. Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce or Coconut Aminos
1 Tsp. 50/50 Honey
1 Tsp. Onion Powder
1 Tsp. Ground Ginger
1 Tsp. Garlic Powder
Salt & Pepper to Taste

Directions:

Cook the noodles according to package directions and set aside to cool.

Make the dressing by whisking together the 3 Tbsp. Light Mayonnaise, 2 Tbsp. Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice, 4 Tsp. Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce or Coconut Aminos, 1 Tsp. 50/50 Honey, 1 Tsp. Onion Powder, 1 Tsp. Dried Ginger, 1 Tsp. Garlic Powder, and Salt & Pepper in a large nowl.

Place the 1 C. Cooked Chicken Breast, 1/2 C. Chopped Celery, 1/2 C. Grated Carrots, 1/2 C. Red Bell Pepper, 1/2 C. Sugar Snap Peas, and 1 Green Onion into a large bowl along with the dressing. Stir it together to mix well.

Add in the cooled noodles and toss to combine and coat the noodles evenly.

Place in an airtight container to chill in the fridge for at least an hour for a cold noodle dish or serve warm right away.

Divide evenly among bowls and enjoy!