6 Vegan Noodle Dishes (and my return to China)

Noodle Nom-Noms & Asian Inspired Food | March 3, 2020 | By Heather Rugile

6 Vegan Noodle Dishes (and my return to China) is a post about just that. First, food. These noodles range from garlicky to peanut-based recipes. All of them are easy, healthy, kid-friendly, and delicious. You won’t be rummaging the grocery store aisles looking for unknown and hard-to-find ingredients. They are my most popular noodle dishes, especially on Pinterest and Foodgawker. Click on the name of the noodle dish below and it will bring you directly to the recipe link. 🙂

China? The Corona Virus (poorly named as I associate it with either the beer or a crown, but hey, at least it’s memorable – haven’t actually heard anyone call it COVID 19 outside of news articles)? Why would you go back? What about your family, your friends? What about your kid? And these are just some of the many questions that I am asked daily. Well, I shall answer them now for all who care to hear.

One. THE VIRUS! Seriously? It’s everywhere and most people who are infected by it have mild symptoms and manage just fine. There are two cases in my county in Oregon and loads more up North in my neighboring state of Washington.

Two. I’m going back because when I lived in Beijing, China, three and a half years ago, I was living my best life ever in comparison to those I had experienced post-college (with the exception of one year when my friends and I all moved back to Northport, NY. That was pretty dope, too). What did both of those times have in common? I had money, I had time, I had loads of friends, and I had freedom. Sounds simple enough, until you have kids, buy a house, work in a public school (or two), can’t work out, have no money, have no time, and your friends are now scattered everywhere. Adulthood totally fucking blows. At least, in my humble opinion. In Beijing, before having a kid and after, my life was still free. Expatriates (expats) are tight-knit. We all live amongst one another, travel together, and do awesome China-city activities together over the weekends. I had almost zero outgoings, saved loads of money, traveled ALL of the time (filled up my passport in less than five years), etc. Expat life was pimpin’. However, Beijing? The air was crazy bad and now that I had a kiddo, I didn’t want to raise him in the insane pollution. I also thought that I truly wanted my childhood dream. A family, with a beautiful home, a child with strong roots in a beautiful place like Oregon, a nice car, and a cushy cloud that held up this facade of warmth that I deemed to be the perfect place. The place that I used to live in via imaginary play when I was young, but this time, for real. That’s when the record skips, screeches, and goes tits up, my friends! My life here has been stained by the wretched stench of exhaustion and tribulations. If you’re reading this and your life resembles that beautiful fairytale, well, fuck you! Haha… just kidding. 😉 I either call bullshit or envy the ever-loving shit out of you. That dream was unraveling as it was being built for me. When I left for China, I was single. Life was all about me. Then came the kid. I ran with the assumption that life with a child in the US would far surpass life with a child as an expat in China. WRONG! Life as an expat in China with a child was FAR superior to my life here with a child – in almost every single way possible. Maybe not for everyone, but most certainly, for me.

Three. I have no family here. My sister recently moved to Portland but our lives are so crazy we don’t see one another all too often. Plus, my family and I have never been close. My friends? Sure, I’ll miss them, but I’ll have new and no doubt familial relationships with a great crew of expats in China.

Four. My kid? Well, he wants to be there like, yesterday. He is fully bilingual and will receive the best education money can buy – for free. We will be at the same school/campus, and he will hopefully graduate from this amazing institution. The air? We are going south, baby! Beijing is in the north and is littered with polluted air. In Shenzhen, on the border of Hong Kong, the air is clean and warm. There are beaches, palm trees, HK, and more than a shitload of activities for adults and kids alike. The city is HUGE! If you can’t tell, I’m crazy excited about this change.

Five. My blog! I can’t wait to start posting my frequent trips to Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Shanghai to see my China bestie, etc. I’ll post my favorite vegan restaurants, and my life in general, too. Of course, I’ll keep creating recipes. Being that time will be something that will once again become part of my life, I’ll actually have time to cook beautiful food and photograph, edit, and post my recipes.

Lastly, if you know me, visit me! If not, and you’re traveling to Shenzhen or China in general, message me for advice. Until then, onwards and upwards! Peace out. 😉

PS- Currently loving this song. Heard it in Sleepy Monk Coffee House in Cannon Beach and had to find out who it was! ZHU – an amazing Chinese/American musician.