KELP! (I need somebody) KELP! (not just anybody)

by

KELP!

KELP!

Ive talked ad nauseum about how Ive been gluten free for close to two decades (insert awkward joke here about “how can that be since Im only 24!?”).

Ive also prattled on about how I dont “do” replacement foods.

I dont use gluten free pasta/bread entirely because they werent around when I made the switch & I never bothered to add them in later.

Im an intuitive eater and ever since I realized gluten was the trigger for my symptoms Ive NOT intuitively craved any of that stuff.

Ive also yammered at you about how Im not a foodie.

My foods tend toward the super basic (life-long. my poor mother was baffled by my tastes as a child) & since I cant stand rarely indulge in sauces etc. I strive to be food-adventurous in *other* ways.

I know my best chance for raising a Tornado who loves a wide variety of healthy foods is to practice and not preach.

I juice.

I chia.

I flax.

I self-sneak.

I Kombucha.

I hemp.

I shirataki.

And without fail, whenever I do any of the things listed above, the Tornado *asks* to be involved & taste what Im sampling.

My new obsession with manipulating KELP into a noodle’y substitute was no different.*

First, of course, I brought my query to the Book of the Face.

I knew I wanted to try kelp.  I had no idea what one did with the kelp.  I was certain you’d have my answers.

And you did.

You gave me tips.  You told me it was, indeed, possible to make these CRUNCHY STRANDS more chewy noodle like.  You completed me when you know to what I was referring when I said:

Kelp. Kelp Kelp.  Words lost all meaning.

Our kitchen adventure was born.

The first thing that struck me with the kelp was it, unlike the shirataki, did NOT need to be refrigerated (until after opening).

We snagged it from the cupboard and ripped.right.in!

It emerged in one big clump.

It emerged in one big clump.

Being who we are the child and I IMMEDIATELY had to smell the kelp.

Although Id read repeatedly it had no odor (unlike the shirataki) we were skeptical.

We sniffed (no odor!).  We examined the package (lottsa scentless liquid in the bottom).  We rinsed the kelp (even though we’d not seen anywhere stating you had to).

our kelp post-bathing.

our kelp post-bathing.

After we dried our kelp we plopped it in a bowl.

Without missing a beat the Tornado announced:

It looks like a bowl full of hair!!

hairbowl.

hairbowl.

Interestingly (thankfully?) it didnt feel like hair.  It felt more like al dente pasta!

noodle'y

she claimed it felt like plastic.

 

Look Mama! Rapunzel hair!

Look Mama! Rapunzel hair!

And then the fun began.

Our (finger quote) recipe (unFQ) called for us to cut the kelp into pieces and soak in tomato sauce for thirty minutes.

My soon-to-be second grader could not *wait* for the cutting process:

snippity snip!

snippity snip!

Her cutting enthusiasm was quickly eclipsed by the fact I told her she could dump in the tomato sauce and mix it by hand!  (Id been informed this was the best/easiest way to kelp-mix.)

her fave part

stickysquishy!

And then we waited.

And *then* the Tornado kept asking me is it time yet? is it time yet? oh mama I know I keep asking Im just so excited is it time yet???

And *then*, after 30 minutes bathing in tomato, our kelp was ready.

our kelp relaxing in a tomato soak

our kelp relaxin’ in a tomato soak

She insisted on tasting first which thrilled me to no end.

I loved the fact she was adventurous enough *not* to want me to taste before she would it.

first reaction.

first reaction.

 

Look at me! Im kelp'ing!

Look at me! Im kelp’ing!

 

Our verdict:

  • We liked.  We both agreed we’d have liked more had we never known it was kelp!  Somehow we couldnt get the notion of not-noodles-IS-SEAWEED our of our brains.
  • We doctored.  After adding some meatballs our kelp tasted even more like spaghetti.
  • We done.  We agreed we want to try kelp again. (pesto? alfredo? salad?) We also agreed next time we’d choose a different soaking sauce.

And you?

 

 Are you a current-kelper? And, if not, are you now sufficiently intrigued to kelp right along with us?

 

 

*I have no idea from whence this obsession arose.  possibly from here?  all I know is I was struck with the MUST GET KELP and couldnt stop until I gots me some.

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Comments

  1. The way you prepare Kelp is the same as the prep for vermicelli. It looks yummy! I think I would learn a lot in this blog. Thanks

  2. Very nice post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wished to
    say that I’ve truly enjoyed surfing around your blog posts. After all I’ll be subscribing to your rss feed and I hope you write again very soon!

  5. You make it sound appealing. I am open to trying anything, so now you have me interested in giving it a go, with my daughter involved, too!

  8. LOL, your title is awesome! and i love playing with kelp too. Crunchy goodness and way too much fun playing with it.

  10. I really don’t think I even knew about kelp noodles. Something to try when my son goes back to school? 😉

  11. This is fantastic Miz.
    I’ve seen the “noodles” at Whole Foods too.
    I will try with my twins!

  13. Based on your experiences, all three pugs will immediately start on a 100% diet. I’m driving down to Charleston today with my trailer to load it up with fresh kelp from the ocean. I think I can get about 500 pounds.

    Since you said I don’t have to refrigerate it, I’ll just park it here in the front yard, and hack off about a pound a day and put it in their dishes. I’m assuming the fresh kelp will be even better for them than that dried out stuff you had.

    I’m spreading newspapers all over the house in anticipation…

  15. I saw this at the store recently, too. A friend said it makes amazeballs alfredo!!!

  20. You are too funny! I loved how Tornado is involved & she learned that thru your practice not preach! So adorable – the pics & the story – like we were there!!

    So, what does it taste like plain? Is the purpose to mix with other stuff?

  21. I had these kelp noodles for the first time just recently, and agree. They were really good! Both my husband and I enjoyed the texture and taste (or really how they took on the flavor of the sauce). Now I keep a bag on hand in the fridge. 🙂

  23. I’m intrigued! I suspect they will be hard to find at my local grocery store but a non-smelly shiritake substitute would be great!

    I like seaweed salad but I’m too lazy to make it and it often seems as though pre-made may have a lot of sugar. And I love TJ’s seaweed snacks but wonder if the reason they are tasty is that they’re probably more oil than seaweed.

    Love the post title too. Now I have that song in my head!

    Oh, on an unrelated non-kelp-related matter, to clarify, the picture on my gay marriage post was the Lobster and HER mom, not mine. I have both an awesome mother and mother in law, how lucky am I?

  26. Now I need to try kelp. I can’t believe it has been missing from my diet. Of course, I won’t add meatballs 🙂

  27. Sounds and looks fun Miz! I do want to put a warning out there to those allergic to shellfish that they may need to avoid Kelp or make sure to talk to a doctor before trying it.

  29. I’ve never tried Kelp but now I want to!! Mostly I just want to play with it and squish it around the sauce like the Tornado!!! If we try some, I might wait until after the tasting to inform the boys that it is seaweed.

  30. I just can’t do it…not adventurous enough with food. And luckily I don’t have gluten issues, so I can do regular pasta when I want. I did love that the Tornado wanted to sample it first – now SHE’S quite the foodie!

  31. I am married to the Shiritaki King, yet I’ve never heard of kelp noodles. No smell?? Need to give these a go!

  32. Guess what I’ll be singing all day now? Kelp noodles look interesting. 😉 Do you know if there is soy in them?

  35. I didn’t do the soaking part. That makes sense. I have a great vegan caeser dressing that might work. I’ll try it this weekend.
    PS love the tornado tasting photo. love love.

    • People do heat it—it won’t “ruin” the kelp–I think it’s all a TASTEBUDS thing!

  47. I have no idea if I’ve eaten kelp or not! Probably is my best guess, but I never made it.

    Seaweed, for sure!

  51. Looks super delicious! I generally don’t crave pasta and when I do I use spaghetti squash, but kelp noodles do look worth trying! YUM! (And I can totally see how it looks like hair haha)

  53. Yup. You’ve intrigued me. I’ve already planned a trip to the “healthy” grocery store and now must add this to my list. I’m not sure I will do with the tomato sauce since I have horrible acid reflux, but perhaps an Alfredo sauce since it is my favorite sauce and I love it on spaghetti sauce.

  55. I don’t think I’ve seen these at my local stores but our local oriental store stocks the exotic so will pay them a visit. Hopefully they’ve got some as I’d like to try this.

  57. I love kelp recipe but I never tried kelp noodles. I would like to try this and make my own kelp noodle recipe. I will put vegetables and spicy sauce! Yummy! 😀

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