Summer Entertaining: Bibim Guksu (Spicy Korean Summer Noodles) and an Almond Grazing Board

This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.

Reviewing my experience with a handful of products and sharing discount codes below!

Now that we’re nearing the end of July, my summer FOMO is setting in. What if the season passes and I haven’t eaten peach cobbler, strawberry shortcake, s’mores by a campfire, grilled hamburgers, and all the cherries?? So far, I’ve eaten the peach cobbler and cherries, so I’ve had a half-successful summer 😉.

Another of my summer go-to’s is Korean cold noodles. There are dozens of kinds, but my favorite is probably bibim guksu, which is made with a spicy, sweet red sauce. When you top it with lots of fresh summer veggies, it’s so refreshing. Babbleboxx sent me buckwheat/soba noodles (Roland® Organic Soba Noodles), so I knew that’s what I had to make! I love soba noodles either way, but they were especially perfect for my pre-diabetes mum. I paired the noods with a grazing board using five different flavored almonds. I have a lot to say about those, so scroll on. And the last thing in my Babbleboxx set was these teal Zip Top silicone containers. Those are pretty cool too. Reviews below.

These particular soba noodles are from Roland®. They import fine ingredients from around the world and have been around for 85+ years. These noodles from Taiwan are made with organic wheat and buckwheat flour which you can eat either hot or cold. I generally use them in cold Korean or Japanese dishes. If you haven’t tried buckwheat noodles, they have a unique flavor and a slippery texture with a nice bite, and they’re great in summer salads. Find more products here: https://rolandfoods.com/ .

On to the almonds. Check out this flavor lineup: Black Truffle, Smoky Serrano, Garlic Dill, Lemon Rosemary, and Cinnamon Vanilla. They’re all from Recipe33 and they all use minimal, real ingredients (ie no artificial additives or flavors, just almonds infused with the flavor of 3-5 quality ingredients). I love how Recipe33 came up with these recipe ideas from snacking/studying sessions. They got tired of sticky, messy hands from other almonds coated in oil and seasoning, so they came with better recipes. I tried them all and can confirm that these infused almonds have a ton of flavor without being messy. My personal favorites are the Smoky Serrano and the Garlic Dill. I actually don’t even like dill, but it’s not overwhelming on these almonds, it’s delish. Those both are seriously good for snacking, and I would probably use the Cinnamon Vanilla as a garnish for things like oatmeal, yogurt, or banana bread. They’re all yummy, but the aforementioned are my two top favorites. What I love about these is how premium they are. The Lemon Rosemary has dried lemon slices inside, the Cinnamon Vanilla has cinnamon sticks mixed in, etc. They’re both beautiful and delicious. Find them on the Recipe33 website: https://www.recipe33.com/discount/TryRECIPE33 .

When I was done with the nuts, I threw them in these Zip Top containers, which are pretty dang cool. They are a thick, durable silicone, and they close by themselves, no need for a lid. Also, they’re freezer, microwave, and dishwasher safe! Since they’re reusable and so versatile, I see myself slowly replacing all my kitchen plastic bags with these, same way I’ve been replacing plastic containers with glass containers. I really like them a lot. Linking a discount code below, but there is an expiration date so don’t dawdle.