A Peculiar Pasta
I find pasta very comforting – it’s comfort food. But I don’t eat it very often, as I haven’t found a gluten free pasta I really like. The quinoa varieties are satisfying, but I find they must be cooked perfectly or the noodles get messy. I’d much rather pour my sauce over a big bowl of steamed broccoli rabe, or over a crisp buckwheat-and-cornmeal-crust pizza covered with roasted vegetables.
That is, until recently, since I rediscovered Kelp noodles. I shamefully dismissed this wonder food a few years back as strange tasting and rubbery, only to re-visit it and discover that all it needs is a bit of tweaking and a little bit of understanding.
The Kelp Noodles tossed with celery and red onions – just the beginning…
Kelp itself is a remarkable food, filled with vital nutrients such as iodine, iron, calcium and potassium, easily absorbed by the body, as Kelp is a natural source. I am especially fond of the high iodine content since many of us, myself included, are iodine deficient. This deficiency can result in low thyroid and metabolic function, low energy and slowed growth.
I tried the noodles with straight marinara sauce and really liked it! Going Asian with the noodles seemed too logical, but it did feel like they needed a more “natural partner,” meaning something that felt right. I had Kale and Avocado, and that looked promising. I massaged the Kale with Avocado and nama shoyu, then tossed the whole thing together and it worked. I made beach food! – OK, maybe not beach food, but amusing and scrumptious picnic food for sure!
Kale massaged with avocado and scrumptious spices…
Kelp Noodles with Avocado and Kale
Ingredients
1 package Kelp noodles
1 avocado, smashed
½ bunch kale, stemmed and chopped
3 stalks celery, diced
½ red onion, diced
1 tsp Nama Shoyu or Tamari
Hefty shake of red chile flakes
1 Lime, juiced
Large splash of apple cider viniager
1 package NuStevia or a few drops of Maple
Putting it all together
Boil a small pot of water with a hefty shake of sea salt
In the meantime…
Massage the kale with the avocado, nama shoyu and lime –
Toss with other ingredients and set aside to marinate
When the water boils, remove from the heat and place the noodles in the water. Mix them around to loosen. Let sit for about 3-5 minutes in the water, drain and cool slightly. Toss with the kale and avocado mixture. You may need to add more red chile flakes, I always do!
thanks for following me and I really enjoyed visiting your site. as for the pasta, my favorite is tinkyada (plus they have about any shape).
They do make nice pasta! Thanks for the sweet words, and speaking of sweet – your site is pretty scrumptious looking!