Soba Noodles (made from buckwheat)

Have I been living in a bubble my whole life? How is it I have I have never stumbled across this delicious, nutritious, economical noodle before? I was at the oriental grocery and bought a pack of Soba noodles on a whim. Then I got home and started researching them a little and found all kinds of neat information on them.

Just look at the list of health benefits of buckwheat....
-Decreases cholesterol
-Lowers blood pressure
-Reduces fat accumulation
-Promotes healthy bowel movements

Buckwheat provides vitamins B1 and B2, several minerals, and nearly twice the amount of proteins found in rice. Buckwheat is unique because it is one of the only grains/beans that contains Rutin in great quantity, a kind of bioflavonoid that includes the catechins of green tea and the polyphenols of red wine. This helps fight high blood pressure and is also a powerful antioxidant.

These noodles are cooked after 5 minutes in boiling water. One traditional way they are eaten is... after boiling, rinse in cool water and drain. Then just dip the noodles in soba tsuyu sauce (sort of a sweetened soy sauce available the ethnic grocery store). It's a very refreshing quick meal on a hot day. I also adapted the following recipe for the Soba noodles, and it was equally as delicious.

Quick & Easy Soba Lo mein
2 bunch Soba noodles.
1 T. parsley flakes.
1 tsp. sesame oil.
Dash of soy sauce.
Dash of garlic powder.
Drop the Soba noodles in boiling water and cook for 5 minutes. Drain and toss the hot noodles with parsley, sesame oil, soy sauce and garlic powder.