Vietnamese Rice Noodle Salad with Berries

Ingredients

• 8 ounces vermicelli rice noodles
• 8 cups spring lettuce greens
• 2 cups berries such as blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries or pomegranate seeds
• 2 carrots (, thinly shredded or sliced)
• 1 cucumber (, seeded and thinly shredded or sliced)
• 1/2 red onion (, thinly sliced)
• 3 green onions (, chopped)
• 1 cup mint leaves (, torn or sliced)
• 1 cup cilantro (, chopped)
• 1/2 cup fish sauce
• 1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 cloves garlic (, pressed or minced)
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• sliced limes
• peanuts

Instructions

1. 1

   Soften the vermicelli noodles in a large bowl by covering them with boiling water and soaking for 3-4 minutes or until tender. Use a fork or your fingers to separate the noodles then rinse under cold water and drain.

2. 2

   Divide the lettuce greens between the four bowls followed by dividing the berries between the bowls with the carrot, cucumber, red onion, green onion, cilantro and mint.

3. 3

   In a bowl or a glass jar fitted with a lid or a bowl, mix together the fish sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, garlic and crushed red pepper.

4. 4

   Serve the salad bowls with 2-3 tablespoons of the dressing per salad and if you have any left, save it to use on regular green salads. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts, more cilantro, mint, and green onion and a squeeze of lime if desired. These salads are best served the day they're made at room temperature.