soba + carrot noodles with a miso cashew cream + carrot top harissa

I get serious FOMO. I have my whole life, basically since birth. When I was a kid, my mom would always have to tell me that on the count of three, I she would be leaving the party with or without me. I didn't really see that as a threat.  I always wanted to stay at that party, because ..... FOMO.

 I actually didn't know there was a name for it until a year or two ago, and when I heard it for the first time ......... I was like YES, FOMO, that is ME. That has always been me. 

I have the type of FOMO that means I have a hard time saying no. If someone invites me to do something, unless I have another obligation or a really good reason, I will almost always say yes. I like being out and about, I like parties, I like doing fun and interesting things. My FOMO is not that I want to be doing what other people are doing, it's more that I do not like missing out on things I know I can be doing. Make sense? 

However, more and more recently, I have noticed that my FOMO is taking over in a different way. And this way has to do with social media. Of course it does. Isn't social media the root of most people's FOMO these days? Although, my new issues are not in the way you might initially think. It's not so much about being jealous of what other people are doing, but it's been making me doubt myself. Am I doing as much as I can? Am I working as hard as I can? Am I getting out and about as much as I can? WHY IS EVERYONE IS DOING SO MUCH MORE THAN I AM?! That is a little how instagram can feel for someone with FOMO. Or for any normal human, really. 

But, when I take a step back, put that phone down, and take the dog for a walk ...... I realize what we all know. That a feed such as instagram is a highlight of someone's day. The best things they ate, the best thing they did, the best place they visited. All wrapped up in a perfectly styled photo. No one is going to show you the not so exciting lunch they had, or the three boring days they spent locked up in their apartment working before they went to that really cool fancy event........... but sometimes when you scroll through photo after photo after photo of beautifully styled life activities, it can feel like you are being bombarded with cool things everyone else is doing ........without you. Wahhh wah. 

I wish I could tell you that I had some great epiphany, or that I found some way to never feel like there is so much more I should be doing  .... I am sure some people have this down, but me, not so much.  I do try and hide that phone from myself when I am cooking, when I am eating, or anytime I am enjoying a meal with others.  I am trying to put the phone down a little more all-around too, and when I do look at it, take it all for what it's worth. Pure inspiration. People making pretty pictures. If it wasn't for instgram, there are so many travel destinations, restaurants, and food combos I wouldn't know about or think about.

Would I exchange being a little less "in the know" for the good old days of no smart phone or social media ......... sure, sometimes, depends on the day you ask me. But, maybe not on a day like today, when this dish here is inspired by some soba noodles I saw piled high on one person's insta, and then some carrot top sauce on the photo right after. My brain put those two together and here we are. I ran out, bought all of the ingredients, and now we have a spicy, umami, savory, sweet, flavor bomb of a dish. Oh, and by the way, food FOMO is usually much easier to cure than travel FOMO. 

soba + carrot noodles with a miso cashew cream + carrot top harissa

The harissa (a favorite of mine) is slightly adapted from a recipe in Bowl + Spoon, by Sara Forte (the Sprouted Kitchen) 

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

for the miso cashew cream:
1 cup of cashews (soaked overnight, or a min of 2 hours ... the longer you soak, the creamier the sauce)
1/2+ cup of filtered water
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon of sweet white miso
1 small shallot, chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
1 teaspoon of brown rice vinegar

for the carrot top harissa:
1 cup of green carrot tops, chopped
1/2 cup of cilantro
1 small jalapeño, seeded and chopped (or 1/2 if you do want too much spice)
1 small garlic clove, sliced
the juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 teaspoon of cumin
1/4 teaspoon of salt
about 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil

for the carrot + soba noodles:
4 large carrots
a drizzle of olive oil
salt + pepper
about 8oz of soba noodles

some optional toppings: microgreens, sesame seeds (or gomacio)

METHOD

First, make the miso cream + carrot top harissa: 

• Place all of the ingredients for the carrot top harissa into a food processor (except for the oil). Pulse a few times, and then drizzle in the oil in a slow stream until you have a consistent mixture. Taste and adjust any seasoning as necessary. Remove from the food processor and set aside in a small bowl. Clean out the food processor because you're going to use it again. 
• Place all of the ingredients for the miso cream into the cleaned food processor and blend on high for a minute or two until you have a very smooth and creamy mixture. If you feel it is too thick and not smooth enough, add some water a little at a time (about a tablespoon or two) until you have the right consistency which is smooth without being too runny. Taste and adjust any seasoning necessary. Keep in the food processor until the noodles are ready. 

Make the carrot noodles + cook the soba:

• Pre-heat the oven to 425º. 
• Using a spirializer or a julienne peeler, make your carrots into noodles that resemble the soba noodles (so slice lengthwise with the peeler, or use the appropriate attachment for the spirializer). Save any of the leftover carrot bits for a smoothie or for cooking. 
• Place the carrot noodles onto a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 10 minutes, until they are just starting to brown. Remove and set aside until you're ready to assemble the noodles. 
• Bring a medium sized saucepan with water to a boil. Add the soba and cook according to their instructions (usually about 8-10 mins). Strain, and place in a serving bowl. 

Dress + assemble the noodles:

• Pour the miso cream over the noodles. The amount here should be more than enough, you might have a little miso cream left over depending on how "creamy + saucy" you want your noodles. Toss the noodles to coat them evenly. 
• Then, dish the noodles out into individual serving bowls. Evenly distribute the carrot noodles, and place them on top of the soba noodles. Finish with a drizzle of the carrot top harissa as well as any other topping of your choice.