27 Feb Three Sensational Seaweed Recipes

If you still think of seaweed as just the slimy and somewhat smelly plant washed up on your local beach… you’re missing out big-time! Seaweed has long been a culinary treasure in the far east, and has lately been finding its place in western diets too. Seaweed is a real delight at the dinner table; it has a subtle vegetable flavour with a hint of ocean salt, plus it’s absolutely packed to the brim with nutrients. Iodine, calcium, iron and B-vitamins are all found in abundance in seaweed – making it a totally trendy superfood that looks great on your plate, tastes amazing and nourishes your body beautifully.

So now that we’ve convinced you to dish up more seaweed at dinner – find out just how versatile these miraculous marine plants can be, with some sumptuous and healthy seaweed recipes.

Check out these wholesome, satisfying and exotic seaweed recipes, to add something really special to your daily diet.

Sunflower Kombu Bread

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sunflower seeds, soaked
• 1 cup flax seeds, soaked
• 1 cup carrots, sliced
• ⅓ cup kombu or dulse
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup dried parsley
• ¼ cup dried basil
• 1tsp sea salt

Method:

• Combine all ingredients in a food processor & blend until smooth. Add a little filtered water as needed if the mixture is too sticky.
• Spread the mixture in an even layer over non-stick solid dehydrator sheets.
• Dehydrate for 3 hours at 115°.
• Remove from dehydrator & flip onto mesh trays.
• Dehydrate for another 4 hours or until firm & dry.

Vegan Hand Rolls with Kale & Green Beans

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup short grain brown rice
• 1½ cups filtered water
• 1Tbsp organic sugar
• 1tsp sea salt
• 3Tbsp rice vinegar
• 4 sheets of nori, cut in half
• 8 large kale leaves, stemmed & blanched
• 16 green beans, blanched
• 4 scallions, chopped lengthwise
• 4tsp wasabi paste
• ½ cup soy sauce
• ½tsp sesame oil

Method:

• Bring the rice & water to a boil in a small saucepan.
• Cover & cook over low heat until the water has been absorbed (approx. 35 minutes). Transfer to a large bowl & fluff the rice with a fork.
• In a separate bowl, microwave the sugar &salt with 2Tbsp of filtered water, for approx. 10 seconds, until the sugar is dissolved.
• Stir in 1Tbsp of the rice vinegar.
• Sprinkle the vinegar mixture over the warm rice & stir well.
• Lay a sheet of nori on your work surface. Spread ¼ cup of the rice mixture on the bottom half.
• Spread a smidgeon (½tsp) of wasabi over the rice. Top with 2 green beans, 1 kale leaf & a halved scallion.
• Fold the nori over to form a cone shape; repeat with the remaining nori sheets & fillings.
• Lay the rolls out on a platter.
• In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, sesame oil & remaining vinegar. Serve as a dipping sauce with the nori rolls.

Wakame & Cucumber Salad

Ingredients:

• 60g wakame
• ¼ cup rice vinegar
• 1Tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1Tbsp miso paste
• 1Tbsp ginger, finely grated
• 1tsp raw honey
• ½ cup olive oil
• 1tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 large cucumber, thinly sliced
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 small mandarin orange, segmented
• Dash of sea salt

Method:

• Bring a medium saucepan of filtered water to a boil.
• Add the wakame & remove the saucepan from the heat; leave to stand until softened (approx. 20 minutes).
• Drain the wakame, rinse under cold water & pat dry. Slice thinly.
• Whisk the rice vinegar with lime juice, miso paste, honey & ginger in a bowl.
• Whisk in the olive & sesame oils; season with salt.
• Add the wakame, cucumbers & scallions; toss well.
• Garnish with toasted sesame seeds & mandarin segments. Serve immediately & enjoy.