So, full disclosure right off the top: the noodles in this noodle salad are made of kelp. Kelp. Like, the seaweed. Yeah.
But, it’s delicious. So if you can get your head around seaweed standing in for noodles (or maybe best not to think about it), you’ll be happy (and healthier) for it.
Sea vegetables are astonishingly full of vitamins and minerals. They are a wonderful source of bio-available iron, vitamin C, iodine and antioxidants and are supposedly helpful in reducing the risk of estrogen-related cancers.
Tip: Don’t breathe a word about the seaweed origins to your picky-eater-partner until the meal is over.
Ingredients
- Couple of handfuls baby spinach (I chopped this up a bit)
- Raw kelp noodles
- Red cabbage, thinly sliced
- A few shakes of white sesame seeds
- Ripe avocado, sliced
- Thai basil leaves
- Julienned nori
- Lime wedge
Dressing:
- 1 green onion
- 1 Medjool date
- 3 Tbsp miso paste
- ¾ cup filtered water
- ½ cup fresh-squeezed orange juice
- 3 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 ¼ inch ginger (I grated this first)
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
Combine dressing ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
Method
1. In a big bowl, combine the spinach, cabbage, kelp noodles and sesame seeds. Add some dressing – a little at a time. More if you’ve gone bigger (feeding more people) with the salad. Toss to make sure the noodles all get some love from the dressing too.
2. Serve up into bowls or onto plates and top the salad with the julienned nori, thai basil leaves and avocado slices. Sprinkle some more sesame seeds on top and serve with a wedge of lime. (If you’re not vegan or veggie – serve with some grilled organic chicken breast or steak!)
Adapted from Thrive Energy Cookbook by Brendan Brazier
