Soba noodle salad with ginger-pumpkin-seed dressing

This recipe came from "Quick and healthy 30-minute meals", a Vegetarian Times special issue.I chose this because it has greens (cilantro 1 cup), veggies, protein (seeds), and plenty of flavor. The soba noodles tasted whole grain, although I can't be sure now!

I replaced the peanut in the original recipe, with pumpkin-seed (pepita).

Ingredients:

Soba noodles (1 packet)
1 large red bell pepper
1/2 small cucumber
4 large carrots
1.5 cups pumpkin seeds,
2 TBS lemon juice,
1 cup cilantro leaves,
1/2 cup rice vinegar,
4 tsp low sodium soy sauce,
2 TBS minced fresh ginger,
2 cloves garlic,
2 tsp lemon zest,
1 TBS maple syrup.


Method:
1. Boil water in a medium to large pot.
2. Throw a packet (happened to be 8.8oz) soba noodles into it for 7 minutes (or follow the time in the package instructions).
3. Turn heat off, drain water from it in a colander, and keep it covered.
4. Chop red bell pepper (1), carrots (4 big), cucumber (1 small).
5. In the blender (I used Vitamix, wet grinder), blend to a paste, the 1.5 cups pumpkin seeds, 2 TBS lemon juice, 1 cup cilantro leaves, 1/2 cup rice vinegar, 4 tsp low sodium soy sauce, 2 TBS minced fresh ginger, 2 cloves garlic, 2 tst lemon zest, 1 TMS maple syrup.
6. Toss together the soba noodles, blended paste, and chopped veggies.