Noodles. Is there any other form of sustenance more comforting? I personally love how many different cultures around the world have their own version of a noodle. Some of my favorite meals I’ve ever had have involved a form of carb-y, often saucy noodle delight. Despite the fact that most of us love these dishes, they do tend to receive a bad rap due to their carb/gluten content. Enter kelp noodles. I’ve tried so many noddle and pasta variations and have a few strong options at the top of my list of favorites and kelp noodles are definitely among those top. I love how versatile these are and how the texture changes when introduced to a sauce to create a slightly chewy bite. Simply put, these provide what you want when you’re looking for a noodle dish without all the carbs, gluten and calories.
This recipe stems from my love of all things peanut-y-spicy and savory, combined with my ever-growing love for noodles. This recipe just makes me happy. I feel like its the perfect way to eat healthy but still fix your carb craving! Plus, getting all of the colors of the rainbow in one dish isn’t too shabby either. As if you needed more convincing to try this one out, here’s a bonus, you CANNOT mess this up. I hear so often people say they can’t cook and it seems many have lost confidence in the kitchen which is such a shame! If that’s you know that you can definitely make this and it will be fantastic. Maybe you’ll add everything I’ve included in this recipe and then again maybe you won’t, that is entirely up to you and what you’re feeling as you decide to put this together. I’d also like to add that I think it’s optimal to eat seasonally and locally when possible and I try to keep that in mind when I’m shopping for my produce for beautiful dishes like this one. Using beautiful, fresh produce really makes this dish come alive with flavor leaving you feeling satisfied and buzzing from all that plant-based vibration!
As we enter the warmer Summer months (pitta season according to Ayurveda) this dish is one to keep in your back pocket. And that next BBQ or pot luck your invited too? Throw this together before hand and (maybe) share with friends!
I’d love to see and hear your results if you make this and as always feel free to reach out with any questions/comments. Share it if you dig it!
XOXO Kayla
Ingredients
- 1 Package of kelp noodles
- 1/2 large pepper (yellow, red, orange or green work), julienned
- 1/4-1/2 cup shredded red cabbage
- 1/4-1/2 cup shredded carrot
- 1/4 chopped green onions
- 1/4 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 1/4 chopped cilantro
Sauce
- 1/3 cup organic (no sugar added) peanut butter
- 1/4 cup liquid aminos or tamari
- 1 tablespoon sweetener of choice (I used coconut nectar)
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon sriracha (more if you like more heat)
- 3-4 tablespoons of water
- Juice of one lime
- Option to kick it up a notch: Pinch of cayenne pepper
Garnish
- 1/4 diced avocado
- 1/4 cup chopped Peanuts
Options:
Tempeh or Tofu can be added for a hearty, protein-rich version
To assemble:
Rinse and drain the kelp noodles. To make the noodles more manageable in size you can use kitchen scissors and cut them in half once or twice. To make the sauce simply whisk all of the ingredients together, if you wanted to you could throw it into a blender as well. Taste your sauce and decide if you’d like it to be spicier (you can add a bit of cayenne pepper to heat it up!), or perhaps adding a bit more lime is more your style. If you feel like the sauce is too thick adding more water is always an option. In a large bowl add the kelp noodles and all the chopped veggies and add 3/4 of the sauce and toss well to coat everything. Add the garnishes of your choice and then top with the remaining sauce. Serve immediately. This noodle salad should keep well in the fridge for up 2-3 days and then noodles become softer the longer they sit in the sauce. If adding tofu or tempeh I love to bake it with a little liquid aminos (or tamari) and toasted sesame oil and add it on top of the noodles, yum!