Food / 9 January, 2017 / My Baba

Our Newest Superfood Obsession: Kelp

Kelps are large sea algae, or seaweeds if you will. This nutritious ingredient is our newest superfood obsession. Kelp is packed with magnesium, iron, and calcium, which can promote healthy bones, skin, and hair! What’s not to love?  And that not all, its high iodine content can help improve the thyroid function properly. Your thyriod regulates your body’s energy production, if it’s over-active you may suffer from burning off nutrients too fast, if it’s under-active you may put of weight at a rapid speed as you aren’t burning energy at a healthy rate. Sea vegetables have enzymes that aren’t found in your common root veggies, and therefore contribute various attributes to your diet, such as healthy fats and numerous minerals.

We’ve round-up some delicious recipes to help introduce this superfood into your daily diet.

Chilled Green Curry Kelp Noodle Bowl

Ingredients:

Creamy Green Curry Broth:

• 1 13.5oz can full-fat organic coconut milk
• 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in water for a least an hour or more, then rinsed
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 small jalapeño, stem removed plus seeds to taste
• 1 large handful baby spinach
• 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped ginger
• 1⁄4 cup loosely packed basil leaves (Thai basil if you have access to it)
• 2 tablespoons green curry paste, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 – 1 cup water

Kelp Noodles:

• 1 12 ounce bag kelp noodles
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Hot water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or sesame oil
• Pinch red pepper flakes

Vegetables and Toppings:

• 1 small zucchini, spiralised or thinly sliced
• 1 large carrot spiralised or thinly sliced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 cup sugar snap peas, thinly sliced
• Red pepper flakes
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• Cilantro, basil or fresh mint

Method:

For the creamy curry broth: 

• Add all of the ingredients, except the water to your high speed blender.
• Blend until smooth and creamy, slowly adding as much water as you’d like to achieve your desired thickness.
• Place the broth into the fridge in a tightly covered container and allow to chill while you prep the rest of the soup.

For the kelp Noodles:

• Empty the kelp noodles from the bag, drain and rinse well.
• Soak the noodles in hot water and baking soda for 15 minutes.
• Drain and rinse well. Add the noodles, oil and red pepper flakes to a bowl, toss it around and massage the oil into the noodles.
• Allow the noodles to marinate while you prep the veggies.
• Cut smaller with scissors before serving.

To serve:

• Pour the desired amount of broth into a large serving bowl.
• Top with the kelp noodles, veggies and garnish with fresh cilantro, basil or mint, thinly sliced scallions and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
• Serve immediately.

Coconut Soup with Kelp Noodles & Shrimp

Ingredients:

• 2 cups chicken broth
• 3-4 tbsp fish sauce
• 3-4 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice
• 1 tbsp minced ginger, about 1 1/2 inch piece
• 1 tsp garlic paste or a finely minced small clove
• 2-3 tsp honey or brown sugar
• 1 1/2 – 3 tsp Harissa or chilli sauce, to taste
• 1/4 tsp ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 bell pepper, red or green or a combination, sliced
• 12oz package kelp noodles, rinsed
• 13.5oz can coconut milk
• 1 cup *cooked salad shrimp at room temperature, or raw, cleaned
• small handful cilantro, chopped
• 1 green onion, sliced
• 1-2 tsp hot sesame oil (optional)

Method:

• Combine the chicken broth, fish sauce, lemon or lime juice, ginger, garlic, honey or brown sugar, Harissa or chilli sauce, ground coriander and red pepper flakes in a pot. (Use the lower measurements, saving the rest for later when it’s time to check to see if you need to adjust anything). Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
• Stir in the bell pepper, kelp noodles and coconut soup.
• Heat up to just where it begins to boil.
• Check and adjust the seasoning if necessary; salty, sour, sweet, hot (the extra amounts you reserved).
• Remove from heat.
• Stir in the shrimp, cilantro and green onion
• Divide among bowls, Drizzle with a small amount of “hot” sesame oil, if desired.
• Serve immediately.

Rainbow Kelp Noodle Salad with Lemond Almond Ginger Dressing

Ingredients:

• for the lemon almond ginger dressing
• 1/2 cup raw almonds, soaked for 1 hour, water reserved
• 1/2 cup reserved soaking water
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon agave syrup
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon liquid aminos (or tamari/soy sauce)
• 1/2 teaspoon white miso
• for the salad
• 1 package of kelp noodles, rinsed thoroughly
• 2 carrots, julienned
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced very thinly
• 1/4 head of red cabbage, cored and grated or very thinly sliced
• 3 cups baby spinach
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 cups chopped mango
• chopped almonds for sprinkling
• sesame seeds for sprinkling

Method:

• Combine the dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend or process until smooth. Set aside.
• Combine the kelp noodles, spinach, carrots, bell pepper, red cabbage, and cilantro in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss until combined. Serve topped with mango, chopped almonds, and sesame seeds. Enjoy!

Kelp Noodles & Garlic Kale Pesto Sauce

Ingredients:

Shrimp and Kelp Noodle Spring Rolls with Almond-Tamarind Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:

Dipping Sauce:

• 4 tablespoons smooth almond butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
• 2 teaspoons tamari
• Scant 2 tablespoons tamarind paste
• Water, to thin

Spring Rolls:

• 1 package of brown rice paper wrappers
• 6 romaine lettuce leaves, cut in halves or quarters
• 12 steamed shrimp, peeled and deveined, cut in half lengthwise
• 1/2 package kelp noodles, rinsed and drained
• 4 red radishes, cut into matchsticks
• 1 large black plum, pitted and thinly sliced
• 1 carrot, cut into matchsticks
• 2 avocados, peeled, pitted and thinly sliced, sprinkled with lemon juice and salt
• 1/2 cup mint leaves
• 1/3 cup cilantro leaves

Method:

• For the sauce, combine the almond butter, maple syrup, ginger, tamari, and tamarind paste in a bowl and whisk until smooth. While whisking, slowly pour in water until the sauce reaches desired consistency.
• Fill a wide bowl with warm water. Soak a brown rice paper in the water until soft, 10 seconds.
• Working quickly, place  the paper on a  cutting board and in the center layer a piece of lettuce, 2 shrimp halves, and a small amount of kelp noodles, radish, plum, carrot, and avocado. Top with a few mint and cilantro leaves, leaving 1 inch on either side and several on the top and bottom, taking care not to overfill the wrap.
• To roll, fold the bottom of the rice paper over the filling, then roll slightly forward, folding the left and right sides inward, then rolling to close. Repeat with additional rice paper and filling for the additional 11 spring rolls.
• Serve immediately with dipping sauce on side.