Image courtesy of” https://www.doctoroz.com/recipe/mint-chocolate-chip-seaweed-shake

Seaweed, bananas and mint reduce bloat - seaweed and spinach contain all the iron - and seaweed and bananas have potassium for days (which is an electrolyte #positvelychargedions ) so this is an awesome way to start your day OR to finish a workout.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (handful) of raw sugar kelp (rinsed) or one kelp cube

• 1 handful spinach

• 2-3 tbsp fresh mint

• 1 Tablespoon of water

• 1 cup nut milk (oat milk was AMAZING for this smoothie)

• 2 ripe or overripe bananas (frozen is prefered)

• 2 tbsp cacao nibs or powder (you can replace with morsels if needed but review sugar content on packaging)

• 2 tsp vanilla

Directions

Put the seaweed, spinach and mint in a blender and chop until very fine. Add one tablespoon of water if you need help breaking the greens down.

Add in the rest of the ingredients and blend together. Enjoy!

I love the texture of kelp paired with cucumber - it’s nice to have some crunch next to the chopped seaweed. I found a really simple and lovely recipe for a cucumber seaweed salad at Yangs Nourishing Kitchen which only needed minor adjustments to work with Sugar Kelp (instead of dehydrated wakame).

This is a light and easy side dish which is PACKED with vitamins and minerals.

Photo courtesy of Yangs Nourishing Kitchen (https://i2.wp.com/yangsnourishingkitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Cucumber-Wakame-Salad-Yangs-Nourishing-Kitchen-3.jpg?w=1360&ssl=1)

Ingredients

• 1 Medium English Cucumber

• 1 cup blanched sugar kelp, julienned - I use locally grown fresh kelp and blanch it myself

• 1 tsp Sea Salt

• 3 tbsp Rice Vinegar or Apple Cider Vinegar

• 1 tbsp Maple Syrup

• 1/4 tsp Soy Sauce

• 1/2 tsp Sesame Oil

• 2 tsp Sesame Seeds (black or white or both)

Instructions

1. Slice 1 medium cucumber into thin slices.

2. Mix 1 tsp sea salt evenly with the sliced cucumbers. Let it rest in a bowl for about 10 minutes to draw out juices.

3. Combine vinegar, maple syrup (or equal amount of sugar if you don't have maple syrup), Soy sauce, and sesame oil in a bowl to make the dressing.

4. Squeeze out the excess cucumber juice

5. Place strained cucumber and julienned kelp in a bowl, pour over the dressing, and garnish with sesame seeds.

6. Serve chilled

Mashed potatoes are one of my favorite side dishes and I have always loved mixing other food in (peas, corn etc). I was excited to find in Seaweeds: edible, available, & sustainable a recipe for seaweed mashed potatoes. I have tried it both ways (dried and fresh) and find the concentrated punch from the dried seaweed to be my favorite. I leave the skins on for more nutrients (#potassium).

INGREDIENTS

Pg 148 of Seaweeds: Edible, available, sustainable by Ole G. Mouritsen

• 4 lbs potatoes

• 4 teaspoons dried sugar kelp flakes or powder

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 1/4 cup milk

• pepper to taste

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

DIRECTIONS

Wash, chop and boil potatoes to mashable tenderness

Drain potatoes and add in butter / milk while still hot. Mash together by hand or with a mixer. Stir in spices, salt and pepper to taste.

Image by Romulo Yanes for the NYT: Food stylist: Vivian Lui

The amazing Melissa Clark of the NYT created this recipe and it’s worth sharing for those who are a little apprehensive to try kelp as a main course. This recipe was featured in the april 2019 NYT cooking section as well as in the article by Clark in the piece titled The Climate Friendly Vegetable you Ought to Eat. She is on to something IMO…

INGREDIENTS

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

• 1 tablespoon red dulse flakes or powder (can substitute dried sugar kelp flakes)

• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice

• 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt

• 1 (3 1/2- to 4-pound) whole chicken, patted dry

• 1 small bunch fresh herbs, such as rosemary, thyme or sage

• 1 pound baby potatoes, halved, or quartered if large

• 1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced

• 2 cups fresh kelp, blanched and slice into ribbons

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• Large pinch of red-pepper flakes

PREPARATION

1. In a small bowl, stir together softened butter, dulse, lemon zest and juice, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Rub all over chicken, including the cavity, underneath the skin, then on top of the skin. Stuff herb bunch into cavity and transfer chicken to a rimmed baking sheet. Let marinate at least 1 hour or up to overnight in the refrigerator.

2. Heat oven to 425 degrees and place a rack in the middle. Remove chicken from refrigerator and let sit at room temperature while you prepare vegetables.

3. In a large bowl, toss together potatoes, onion, kelp, oil, red-pepper flakes and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Spread mixture out surrounding the chicken on the baking sheet.

4. Roast, tossing vegetables every 20 minutes, until chicken is browned and a thermometer inserted into thickest portion of thigh reads 160 degrees, about 1 hour. Remove from oven, transfer chicken to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil for 10 minutes.

5. Transfer roasted vegetables to a serving platter and top with chicken and any remaining juices from baking sheet. Serve immediately.

Blanched kelp noodles being prepared for seaweed salad at Oko in Westport Photo by Suzie Flores

Blanching and noodling kelp is one of the easiest ways to use it and allows you to preserve it forever and ever and ever if frozen.

Step 1: Boil a large pot of water.

Step 2: Take a large bowl (proportionate to the amount of kelp you are going to blanche) and fill it with cold water and some ice cubes

Step 3: Take your fresh raw kelp and slice it to the size of the noodle you. I like a wide fettuccini sized noodle that is about 6 inches long. Consider the dish and how it will be eaten to determine size.

Step 4: Place sliced kelp in boiling water for 5-15 seconds. You want the kelp to turn green and the moment it does place the noodles into your ice bath.

Step 5. remove noodles from ice bath and add them to your dish!

Blanched noodles will freeze for up to a year if stored in a controlled freezer space and vacuum sealed.

***When I am using kelp noodles in a soup - I skip the blanching process entirely and add raw kelp directly to the recipe to give an extra boost of umami flavor.

Low carb, gluten free, vegetarian (can easily be vegan or you can add some meats to it) and satisfying…..The nice thing about this dish is it’s easily adapted to whatever veggies you have in your fridge or garden and it freezes well. This is an adaptation of a recipe found on eating rules which does in fact rule.

Image from https://eatingrules.com/kelp-noodle-ramen/

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth homemade or low-sodium store bought (i make a homemade broth using kelp!)

• 1 cup Kelp Noodles (see the recipe on how to noodle fresh kelp - raw kelp trimmed to the width and girth of a noodle works just fine)

• 2 whole broccoli spears steamed

• 5 whole snow pea pods steamed

• 1/2 carrot peeled and grated

• 1 medium radish sliced

• 1 green onion sliced

• 1 whole soft-boiled egg peeled and sliced in half

• togarashi or Bragg’s Organic Sea Kelp Seasoning to taste

Instructions

1. Heat the vegetable broth in a saucepan.

2. Par cook (steam) the broccoli and Chinese peas in a microwave-safe container for 2 minutes. 

3. Add the kelp noodles to a bowl, pour heated broth over the noodles.

4. Garnish with vegetables and egg.

5. Sprinkle with togarashi or Bragg’s Organic Sea Kelp Seasoning (zero sodium).

Image by Francoise Nicol

Here is a super unique adaptation of the French Market’s Seaweed Tarta recipe. This is VEGAN, RAW, and is good for the planet. Remember kelp has iron, calcium, iodine, and oh so much more so this is also good for you.
Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh raw sugar kelp

• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

• 2 tablespoons finely diced shallot

• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

• 2 rounded teaspoons drained capers

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 tablespoon walnut oil or untoasted sesame oil

• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt (optional)

• Freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine the garlic, shallot, and lemon juice in another bowl; the acidity will soften the raw edge of the garlic and shallot.

2. Rinse the fresh raw seaweed to remove additional sea salt (if you would prefer less iodine flavor, blanch seaweed for 10 seconds first).

3. Transfer all ingredients to a food processor (add the garlic mixture, the capers, both oils, the salt, and a grinding of black pepper).

4. Pulse until finely chopped, scraping down the sides of the bowl regularly. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

5. Transfer to a jar, close tightly, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight, to allow the flavors to mingle. Eat within 2 to 3 days.
   
   

Cooking with kelp can be intimidating. I wanted to share some of the recipes I found interesting with you all. Access them by following us on instagram or by checking pintrest recipe board. Below is one I am trying ASAP!

Recipe courtesy of thekitchn.com - and I will be replacing dulce with sugar kelp.

Seaweed Butter

MAKES about 1 cup

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 ounce 

  seaweed (about 1/3 cup, lightly packed)

• 2 sticks 

  (8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes and at room temperature

• Slices of sourdough bread, for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 225°F.

2. Spread the dulse out in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast until dry and crisp, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Transfer to a food processor fitted with the blade attachment and process into fine, crumb-sized pieces, but not total dust.

3. Add the butter and process until completely mixed in with the dulse, about 30 seconds, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.