Ginger Citrus Soba Noodles

Part 1
4 oz soba noodles (100% buckwheat soba if gluten free - other types of noodles are ok.)
1 cup edamame

Part 2 - The sauce
juice from approximately 1⁄2 of an orange (about 1⁄4 cup)
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp tamari (or soy sauce)
½ tsp hot sauce (or to taste)
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 tsps minced fresh ginger

Part 3 - The rest
1 cup snow peas
Mild vegetable oil
2 to 4 oz mushrooms
¼ cup chopped scallions or chives (30 to 45g)
Extra orange & lime wedges to squeeze in at the end
a few teaspoons of sesame seeds, for garnish

1. Bring a small pot of water to boil and add edamame. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes, remove from the heat source, and let stand until the rest is ready.
2. While this is happening, start the water for the noodles. Throw in a pinch of salt. 
3. While the water for the noodles is coming to a boil, string the peas and slice the mushrooms.
4. Put a pan on the stove with a splash of oil and turn on the heat to medium high.
5. While the pan heats up, start mixing together the ingredients for the sauce, which all go in at once and get whisked together.
6. Once the pan is so hot that the first snow pea will sizzle when it hits, add all the snow peas and a pinch of salt, turn down the heat to medium and stir fry for few minutes, until tender and they get a slight char on both sides. Keep shaking the pan or stirring and flipping the peas to make sure they get cooked on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside. 
7. Do the same for the mushrooms.
8. Now, turn off the heat and let the pan cool down for a few minutes. Add the noodles to the boiling water while you wait.
9. The reason to cool the pan a bit is that it is relatively hot and dry. The next step is to add the sauce, and if you add it while it's too hot, it may spit dangerously. Regardless, stand back when you pour in the sauce. It should still be hot enough to bubble just a little bit. Stir continuously as it thickens, about 2 to 3 minutes. If it doesn't bubble a bit, turn the heat back on to low. The sauce should reduce to a light syrup. Don't let it burn or reduce too much.
10. Add the cooked noodles, snow peas, mushrooms and edamame to the pan. Stir to mix everything together with the sauce. Add a good squeeze of lime, and cook a few minutes more. Taste & adjust. If necessary, add more soy sauce, another squeeze of orange or lime, perhaps more hot sauce if you want more heat. Top with a drizzle of toasted sesame oil, scallions (or chives) and sesame seeds.

Toasted Sesame Seed Cookies

Mmmm, chewy, sweet sesame cookies. I love the texture and the little pop of seeds.

Makes about 30 cookies

4 oz toasted sesame seeds

¼ cup (2oz/58gr) butter at room temperature

½ cup (110gr) white sugar
½ cup (90gr) brown sugar
1 large egg
1  tsp vanilla extract

½ cup whole wheat flour

¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
½ cup all purpose flour

1. Toast the sesame seeds by placing them in a small saucepan (don't use a fry pan - the seeds will pop and jump out of the pot and onto your floor and counters). Turn on the heat to medium-low and keep an ear out - you will hear a crackling, popping noise from the seeds when they start to get hot enough; stir a bit, listen for the cracking noise, stir again and do this for about 30 seconds. This technique is particularly useful if using black sesame seeds, where you can't see the browning.
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and the sugar together until it turns quite pale, then beat in the egg and the vanilla. Add sesame seeds and mix well.
3. In sequence, add the whole wheat flour, followed by the baking soda and salt, and ending with the all purpose flour. Mix well to combine.
4. Wrap and put in the refrigerator to rest for 1 hour and up to 72 hours.
5. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. 
6. Use a tablespoon (about 20gr) to scoop balls of dough onto the lined baking sheets - press the balls into 2" rounds and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden. Let cool 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.