This is the last Whole Food of the Month recipe for January, but rest assured, now that YU all love sea veggies and are feeling the benefits—we will keep the recipes comin’. Toasted Sesame Seaweed Snacks are one of my favorite nutrient-powerhouse go-tos. They are easy to make and are great for travel, whether you are going to the office or on vacation far away. They are totally cravable and pretty addicting. My girlfriends and I went through the whole bag I made for us on the plane ride out to California two weeks ago…they didn’t last 10 minutes before they were gone and we were checking eachother for seaweed teeth.

Makes: as much as you want
Takes: 5-7 minutes

Tools:
Cookie sheet(s)
Unbleached parchment paper
Basting brush (or your fingers)
Kitchen scissors (optional, you can tear by hand)
Small dish

Ingredients:
Try to buy everything organic. Here’s why.
Untoasted nori sheets (you can use toasted if it’s all you can find)
Toasted sesame oil
Handful of sesame seeds
Fine ground sea salt
Wasabi powder (optional, you can leave off)

Let’s get started.
Preheat oven to 300°F.

On a parchment-lined cookie sheet lay out your nori. Pour some sesame oil in a small dish. Using your basting brush, or your fingers, paint on a little bit of sesame oil. You want just enough so some seeds will stick, but you want to keep the oil use to a minimum. You can do this to both sides if you like, but I find that one side is perfectly delish.

Sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt and sesame seeds.

Toast for 5 minutes max and remove from oven. You’ll notice that they went in purple and come out green. At this point if you’d like wasabi (which I recommend) sprinkle on as much as you like. You don’t want to add wasabi before baking because it will burn (if you like the taste of burned popcorn, add it before baking, it’s exactly that).

Once cooled, cut your Toasted Sesame Seaweed Snacks into rectangles, triangles, hearts, little fish or any shape you’d like. Enjoy!

Store in an airtight glass container in the pantry.

Psst: if you’d like to prepare these “highly raw”, use raw nori and a dehydrator. Dehydrate for 4-6 hours.

Have you tried our other recipes that use sea veggies?

Almond Butter Kelp & Kale Noodles

Lemony Powerhouse Dulse Spread

Gluten-Free, Dairy Free Vegetable Lasagna

Brendan Brazier’s Lemon Lime Workout Recovery Drink

Raw Carrot Almond Crunch Maki

Also, when cooking grains, legumes or seeds, put a piece of kombu in the cooking water. It will not only expedite the cooking process, but will improve the digestibility, without adding any sea flavor to your dish. I keep a pack of kombu in my pantry at all times.

Seaweed is our Whole Food of the Month and one of my missions was to pull together a simple seaweed salad recipe for YU.

I love seaweed salad now—wait, hear that?—I think everyone who knew me from childhood just fell over in shock. See, I am the girl who ate her first salad at 19 and even then it was iceberg lettuce. Vegetables were not something I was interested in at all, and SEA VEGGIES? Forget it. Never. Well, you know what cliché I could use here, but I am happy and confident to report that obviously the palette does change (it can in a matter of weeks, actually) and foods that may seem impossible for you to add to the rotation will become something you crave in time when you switch to a clean, whole food, plant-based diet. So if sea veggies scare you, step out of your comfort zone and give this recipe a try. It tastes just like a toasted sesame noodle salad with very little, to no sea flavor and it takes 10 minutes max to prepare. I promise you’ll love it whether you are a newbie to sea veggies or if you are one of those long-time seaweed salad junkies.

Makes: 2-4 servings
Time: 10 minutes

Tools:
Medium glass bowl
Small glass bowl
Small pan
Spoon, whisk or blender
Towel (paper or cloth)
Strainer

Ingredients:
Try to buy everything organic. Here’s why.
4-5 pieces whole or cut wakame
Warm pure water (enough to fill medium bowl)
1 scallion, sliced
1 tbsp cilantro, roughly chopped
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 carrot, shredded (optional)
1/2 granny smith apple, cored and shredded (optional)

Dressing
1 tbsp rice vinegar/Mirin
1 tbsp coconut aminos (gluten-free/soy-free) or nama shoyu
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
2 tsp sucanat
1/4 tsp minced ginger
1/4 tsp minced garlic
Pinch salt

Let’s get started.
Select your dry wakame pieces.

Soak them in warm water for about 8 minutes.

While wakame soaks, mix dressing ingredients by hand, or in the blender, and set aside.

Toast sesame seeds in a small pan over medium heat 2-3 minutes and set aside. Wash and chop cilantro leaves. Set aside.

Drain and rinse wakame in cold water. It’s pretty amazing how large the leaves become when hydrated. I can’t help but think of summer at the beach.

Press/squeeze out excess water with hands and/or a strainer. Pat dry with a towel.

Roll leaves lengthwise and slice thinly—chiffonade-style.

You are creating long noodles. Just set them aside until all leaves are chopped.

Don’t forget to slice some green onion.

Place sliced wakame in a glass bowl and toss with dressing. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, cilantro and onion.

Store leftovers in an airtight glass container in the fridge for up to one week. Enjoy!

. . .
Extras/Tips: Add some shredded carrots and/or shredded granny smith apples if you have some. If you are not someone who manages chopsticks, or long noodles in general very well, chop up your chiffonade strands into smaller bites so you can skip the twirling with your eating utensils.
. . .

Have you tried our other recipes that use sea veggies?

Almond Butter Kelp & Kale Noodles

Lemony Powerhouse Dulse Spread

Gluten-Free, Dairy Free Vegetable Lasagna

Brendan Brazier’s Lemon Lime Workout Recovery Drink

Raw Carrot Almond Crunch Maki

Also, when cooking grains, legumes or seeds, put a piece of kombu in the cooking water. It will not only expedite the cooking process, but will improve the digestibility, without adding any sea flavor to your dish. I keep a pack of kombu in my pantry at all times.

It’s fun to “gift” goodies, especially post-holidaze when no one is really expecting it. For the new year, show your pals, your family, even your co-workers how easy it can be to make nutrient-rich and delicious breakfast options with this trio of tasty oatmeal recipes (that can be easily made gluten-free if you buy oats from a trusted source for gluten-free oats). I’ve got some free labels that you can print out for the flavor combos below—you just need some sticker stock and some paper or glass containers. Have fun with this one, if you have a dehydrator, you could sprout buckwheat and or quinoa to replace (or add to) the oats. Just share what you come up with (#YUMadeIt)…

Now, of course you can use these recipes to eat right away without the gifting part. Maybe bookmark this recipe though for a birthday, holiday or other special occasion where you’d like to print the free labels. These recipes are great for travel, too. I tend to make large batches and bring them with me on roadtrips, etc. Note that the servings below are for one person, so multiply accordingly for your needs.

Packaging for gifting:
Eco-friendly soup containers with lids or
Take-out boxes or
Recycled glass jars with lids
FREE ©YumUniverse Oatmeal Labels (fit all container styles)
8.5″ x 11″ sticker stock (uncut…you want whole sheets…you will cut yourself using the crop marks in the document)

Tools:
Large glass bowl
Spoon

Ingredients:
Try to buy everything organic. Here’s why.
Apricot, Pepita & Hazelnut (1 serving)
3/4 cup rolled oats (use gluten-free if you have a sensitivity)
1 tbsp golden raisins
1 tbsp raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1 tbsp hazelnuts, roughly chopped
1 tbsp raw almonds, roughly chopped
1 tbsp dried apricot, chopped
1 tsp ground golden flax seed
2 tsp raw sunflower seeds
1 tbsp sucanat
Pinch ground cardamom
Pinch cinnamon
Pinch fine ground sea salt

Fruit & Nut (1 serving)
3/4 cup rolled oats (use gluten-free if you have a sensitivity)
1 tbsp golden raisins
1 tbsp raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1 tbsp walnuts, roughly chopped
1 tbsp raw almonds, roughly chopped
1 tbsp dried cranberries
1 tbsp dried blueberries
1 tsp ground golden flax seed
2 tsp raw sunflower seeds
1 tbsp sucanat
Pinch cinnamon
Pinch fine ground sea salt

Unsweetened Naked Chia (1 serving)
3/4 cup rolled oats (use gluten-free if you have a sensitivity)
1 tbsp dried apples, chopped
2 tbsp dried blueberries
1 tsp ground golden flax seed
2 tsp chia seed

You can keep seeds and nuts raw, or for extra flavor, I recommend toasting them in the oven at 350°F for 5-7 mins—yum.

Let’s get started.
Choose a flavor and toss all of your ingredients in a bowl. Adjust quantities if you are gifting.

If you aren’t gifting, then add one serving of oatmeal to a bowl, add 2/3 cup warm water or warm non-dairy milk, top with a cheesecloth or paper towel and allow to “steep” for about 3 minutes. Stir and enjoy.

If you are gifting, fill your container(s) of choice with one serving full of oatmeal.

Repeat for another flavor.

Print out the free label template—there are 6 labels on each page for a different flavor, so if you are only using one flavor, just print that specific page as many times as you need. Cut along the crop marks like this to release the stickers. You can also print on regular paper and tape, tie (with cute string) or glue the labels on.

Oatmeal should be stored in a cool, dark pantry.

Have fun!

This soy-free and dairy-free ranch dressing is part of another recipe I’ll be sharing soon, but I had to get this to you as soon as possible because it is easy to prepare and so deeelicious! I’ve been making ginormous salads with toasted walnuts, hemp seeds, lentil sprouts (if you haven’t made these yet get to it…they couldn’t be easier), chickpeas, buckwheat and steamed sweet potato or butternut squash—a little dressing goes a long way. It stores well in a glass container in the fridge so make a fresh batch and use it all week long. Fresh, homemade dressing is always better than store-bought.

Tools:
Blender
Chef’s knife
Small dish/bowl
Small pan (optional)

Ingredients:
Try to buy everything organic. Here’s why.
Buttermilk*
1 cup coconut milk
1 tbsp + 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp fresh lemon juice

*A version of this recipe can be found in the popular Dairy Freedom eGuide that’s filled with 24 other helpful non-dairy recipes/replacements.

Other Ingredients
3/4 cup cashews, soaked
1 tbsp parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp fresh dill
1 tsp chives
1/4 cup onion, minced
2-3 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp cold-pressed virgin coconut oil
1/2 tsp fine ground sea salt, or more to taste
Pinch fresh ground pepper

Let’s get started.
Place all buttermilk ingredients into small bowl and set aside to “curdle” for 5 minutes.

You can take this extra step, and I recommend it for rich flavor, but it’s not necessary: In small pan, add 1/4 tsp coconut oil, onion and garlic and stir over medium heat for 3-5 minutes before adding to blender.

When ready, blend all ingredients, except herbs (dill, chives and parsley), until ultra creamy. Now, add herbs and pulse until they are just broken up but not too much that the dressing turns green. If you don’t mind green dressing, blend away—the taste is the same.

Store in an airtight glass container in the fridge for 7-10 days. Besides salad dressing, use this recipe as a dip for Mixed Root Veggie Fries or as a spread for Lentil & Portobello Umami Sliders.

I found some kelp noodles at a raw foods store in Chicago recently and thought I’d give them a go since I’m trying to eat more sea veggies these days. And since they are the Whole Food of the Month, I know you are too. The texture of these raw noodles is pretty interesting—they are soft yet wirey and have a bit of a snap to them when you bite them, kinda like cabbage. Mixed with the pad-thai-like sauce and soft, chewy kale “noodles”, I think this could be a new favorite dish. Kelp noodles have an incredibly neutral taste and they are a fantastic source of trace minerals like iodine. Give them a try.

Makes: 2-4 servings
Time: 15 minutes

Tools:
Blender
Chef’s knife
Large glass bowl
Small pan

Ingredients:
2 large handfuls of kelp noodles*
3 large leaves kale, ribs removed, cut into ribbons (chiffonade) and steamed for 5 minutes
2 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro leaves (more if you like, I know I do)
1-2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (just toss in a pan warmed over medium heat for 5 mins)
1 tbsp sliced green onion

Almond Butter Sauce
2 tbsp almond butter
Juice of 1/2 a fresh lime
2 tsp lime zest
2 tsp miso (make this dish soy-free by choosing 100% brown rice, chickpea or adzuki bean miso)
2 tsp sucanat
2 tbsp nama shoyu (use coconut aminos for a soy-free/gluten-free recipe)
1 large clove garlic
1/2 tsp ginger, minced
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
Pinch cayenne

*If you want the noodles to be softer versus crunchy, just boil them in pure water with a pinch of sea salt for about 10 minutes, then strain and rinse.

Let’s get started.
Wash and chop cilantro and set aside.

Prepare your lime zest. Prepare your kale. Toast your sesame seeds and slice your green onion.

Place miso, lime juice, lime zest, almond butter, sucanat, nama shoyu, garlic, ginger, sesame oil and cayenne into the blender and blend well.

Place kelp noodles and kale into a large glass bowl. Add sauce and toss.

Top with green onion, chopped cilantro and sesame seeds. Enjoy!

Store in an airtight glass container in the fridge for up to one week. Serve cold or warmed up over the stove/wok.

Substitutions:
If you can’t track down kelp noodles, use buckwheat noodles (make sure they are 100% buckwheat if you have a gluten sensitivity), rice noodles, mung bean or sweet potato noodles. It’s all about the sauce, so really, have fun experimenting. Just share what you create with us. And if you don’t use the kelp noodles, definitely get your sea veggies in by sprinkling the dish with some dulse flakes at least!

 
Have you tried our other recipes that use sea veggies?

Lemony Powerhouse Dulse Spread

Gluten-Free, Dairy Free Vegetable Lasagna

Brendan Brazier’s Lemon Lime Workout Recovery Drink

Raw Carrot Almond Crunch Maki

Also, when cooking grains, legumes or seeds, put a piece of kombu in the cooking water. It will not only expedite the cooking process, but will improve the digestibility, without adding any sea flavor to your dish. I keep a pack of kombu in my pantry at all times.

I had to make a pie on the fly recently and luckily found a 2-pack of gluten-free pie crusts at the store—there was no time to make one from scratch. It all worked out great, but I had almost forgotten about that second crust until dinnertime came after a long day last week. I was craving something substantial, yet easy and after gathering up some ingredients from my kitchen, this quiche recipe was born. I encourage you to keep pie crusts in the freezer from now on. Whether they are homemade or store-bought, you can fill them with veggies, legumes and grains and have an easy nutrient-dense meal that will last you all week long.

Tools:
Blender
Chef’s knife
Medium pan

Ingredients:
Try to buy everything organic. Here’s why.
1 9″ frozen pie crust*
3 cups broccoli florets
1/4 cup red pepper, seeds and ribs removed, diced
1 cup cooked red quinoa, cooked (here’s how)**
1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp cold-pressed virgin coconut oil
2 cups pure water
3/4 cup cashews, soaked for 1 hour
3 tsp agar powder (or 3 tbsp agar flakes)
1 tsp fine ground sea salt
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Fresh ground pepper to taste

*Look for sprouted grain or gluten-free if you have a sensitivity. You can also make your own GF crust. Just use one of these recipes and leave out the sucanat.

**Feel free to use gold quinoa for a more traditional “egg-looking” quiche.

Let’s get started.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove pie shell from freezer if you are using a store-bought one.

Prepare quinoa if you haven’t already.

In a pan over medium-high heat, add coconut oil and brown onion, garlic and pepper for 10-15 minutes, stirring often.

Wash, cut and place broccoli florets in the pie shell. Top with cooked quinoa, then the cooked onion, pepper and garlic.

Blend together cashews, agar, salt, lemon juice and water until ultra creamy and smooth. Pour over broccoli, onions, etc. If you need to, use a fork to carefully move the filling around, allowing cashew mixture to fill up shell.

Bake for 40-50 minutes until top starts to brown.

Remove and allow to cool fully—at least 30 minutes. For the prettiest quiche, once baked, chill in the fridge overnight so the agar sets firmly. Slice, reheat in the oven at a low temp or enjoy cold.

Store in the fridge for up to one week.

I came up with this recipe over the holidaze, but didn’t get a chance to post them. Be sure to put them in the holiday rotation for next year though, these gluten-free, dairy-free cookies taste like a chewier, healthier, heartier version of a Thin Mint—a crowd pleaser as most of us know. I bet they would also make great ice cream sandwich cookies either with Raw Vanilla Bean Ice Cream or Peppermint Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream—my birthday is coming up and I may just put an order in! This is a super easy recipe so I think my sweetheart can handle it…

Makes:  approx 20

Tools:
Chef’s knife
Cookie sheet
Unbleached parchment paper
Large glass bowl and one small/medium glass bowl
Spoon or silicone spatula

Ingredients:
Try to buy everything organic. Here’s why.
3/4 cup almond flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1 tsp baking powder (aluminum-free)
1/4 cup cocoa or raw cacao powder
1/4 cup applesauce*
1 cup sucanat
1/4 cup cold-pressed virgin coconut oil (warmed to liquid on the stove top if solid)
1/2 tsp fine ground sea salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp peppermint extract
1 vegan dark chocolate bar, chopped into chunks (make sure you choose a gluten-free brand if you have a sensitivity)

*No applesauce? Just put a washed/cored/seeded red apple (skin on) in the blender with 2-3 tbsp water and blend until smooth. Voila.

Let’s get started.
Preheat oven to 350F. Mix dry ingredients together in large bowl. Chop chocolate and set aside.

Mix wet ingredients together in a small bowl and add to dry ingredients—mix well.

Fold in chopped chocolate.

Place 1″ spoonfuls onto parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes (no longer).

Allow to cool and enjoy!

Store in an airtight glass container in the fridge, or on the counter.

Buckwheat isn’t wheat—it’s actually a gluten-free seed that contains eight essential amino acids including tryptophan which helps to elevate mood and mental clarity. Keep it stocked in your pantry for all sorts of recipes like this naturally sweetened warm cereal. For this recipe, I recommend using sprouted buckwheat for more efficient digestion. You can buy sprouted buckwheat at the health food store, but I hope you’ll use this recipe as an opportunity to try sprouting buckwheat at home. You’ll see how easy and fun it can be—all it takes is a little planning.

Makes: 2-3 servings

Tools:
Large saucepan with lid
Strainer
Medium pan/skillet

Ingredients:
Try to buy everything organic. Here’s why.
1 cup buckwheat, sprouted*
2 tbsp toasted coconut
2 tbsp hunza raisins
2 tbsp pecans
2 tbsp sunflower seeds
Half banana, sliced
Pinch fine ground sea salt
Coconut milk, hemp milk or almond milk is optional

*No time to sprout? At least soak it overnight. No time for that? Well, heat your skillet to medium-high and in small 1/4 cup batches, toast the dry, unsoaked buckwheat for 4 minutes. Be sure to shake or stir constantly. Repeat until all buckwheat is toasted. Then cook according to steps below.

Let’s get started.
Soak your buckwheat overnight in pure water.

The next day, rinse well and allow to sprout for one day (read more here).

Now let’s cook. In a saucepan, place buckwheat, 2 cups pure water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover, reduce heat and continue on a slow rolling boil for 10-15 minutes until all water is absorbed. It will take less time for soaked buckwheat and more for unsoaked. When all water is absorbed, turn off stove and allow buckwheat to sit with the lid on for about 5 minutes. Then remove lid and fluff with a fork.

While your buckwheat is cooking, warm your skillet to medium-high heat. Toss your coconut into the pan and toast for about 5 minutes, stirring/shaking the pan occasionally until browned. Do the same with the sunflower seeds, and then the pecans.

Now place warm buckwheat in a bowl with all other ingredients and enjoy!

If you’d like a sweeter kasha, add 1/2 tsp maple syrup or honey, or better yet, more banana and raisins. Try it with a fresh, non-dairy milk of your choice.

It may be kinda obvious that I recently added ramekins to the YumUniverse kitchen—the whole single serving thing is pretty fun. So here’s another way to make guests, Santa, or yourself, feel special with individual goodies. These rich, decadent, gluten-free and dairy-free cakes are perfect for the holidays, especially warm and topped with easy Peppermint Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream.

4 Servings

Tools:
Medium glass bowl
4 small 3 1/2″ ramekins
Fork
Spoon
Cookie sheet
Blender
Whisk (or large fork)
Silicone spatula or large spoon

Ingredients:
Try to buy everything organic. Here’s why.
1 cup almond flour*
1/4 cup rice flour
1/4 tsp fine ground sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup cocoa (or raw cacao powder)
2  tbsp chia egg replacer (1/2 tsp chia seed, soaked for 7 minutes in 2 tbsp pure water then blended)
1/2 red apple (like gala, honeycrisp or fuji), cored and chopped
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup sucanat
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 chocolate bar, chopped into large pieces.

*Benefit Your Life brand is the best. You can also make your own by processing almonds into a dust in the food processor.

Let’s get started.
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, whisk together almond flour, rice flour, sea salt, baking soda, baking powder and cocoa.

Toss remaining ingredients, except chocolate bar chunks, into the blender and mix until creamy. Fold blender mixture into dry ingredients.

Fill ramekins 3/4 with batter and push a large chunk (or two) of chocolate into the center of the batter and top with a bit more batter.

Place ramekins on a cookie sheet and then into the oven and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove and serve warm. Take these cakes to the next level and serve topped with Peppermint Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream.

Planning ahead? You can make these a day or two in advance. Just reheat in the oven at 250°F for 5-10 minutes.

Use your ramekins with these recipes, too:

Golden Beet, Granny Smith, Butternut Squash & Thyme Gratins with Macadamia/Cashew Cream

Granny Smith Caramel Apple Crumbles

This dairy-free, soy-free ice cream recipe is super easy and perfect for the holidays. Stay tuned for the Gluten-Free Chocolate Lava Cake recipe coming tomorrow—serve this ice cream on top of that cake and everyone at your holiday party will be singing the praises of dairy-free ice cream. Best part is you don’t need an ice cream maker to enjoy it. I bet Santa would love this!

Makes: 4 servings

Tools:
Ice cream maker or attachment*
Medium glass dish with lid

*No ice cream maker? No problem, just mix together ingredients and place in glass covered dish. The ice cream won’t be as light/fluffy, but it will be delish.

Ingredients:
Try to buy everything organic. Here’s why.
1 14 oz can of coconut milk
1/3 cup chopped vegan chocolate bar (make sure it’s gluten-free if you have a sensitivity)
1/4 cup light agave nectar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp peppermint extract
Pinch fine ground sea salt

 Let’s get started.

Chop your chocolate bar into small/medium chunks. Place all ingredients into the ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Fill glass dish with ice cream, cover and freeze.

Enjoy!