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.

There’s a really yummy comfort-food vegan restaurant in Chicago that has a version of this wrap, only it’s filled with tofu, a soy-based dressing and wrapped in wheat. It was my “junk-food” vegan fix until I finally kicked soy and gluten (almost) for good. I have missed that little wrap so much. The cooling ranch dressing paired with the spicy kickbutt Jamaican Jerk tofu. I decided that it was high-time that I come up with a nutrient-rich, soy-free version for myself, and I have to say that this recipe is better than my old flame. You can use lightly steamed (or raw) collard greens for a wrap instead of the sprouted grain tortilla that I use, and you can also dump all of the fixins in a large bowl and have yourself one of the tastiest salads around. All options are delish.

Tools:
Steamer*
2 large pots
Large plate
Large glass bowl

*If you don’t have a steamer, you can place diced sweet potato in a glass casserole dish with 2 tbsp water in the bottom and roast the potatoes about 20 minutes until soft.
Ingredients:
Try to buy everything organic. Here’s why.
Sprouted grain tortillas (or collard greens raw or steamed or gluten-free tortillas to make this recipe GF)
Mixed greens
Fresh lentil sprouts (optional)
1-2 tbsp clean gluten-free jerk seasoning from a jar (not a dry rub)*
Creamy Dairy-Free, Soy-Free Ranch Dressing (homemade is best)
2 cups cooked chickpeas (try your best to soak them overnight and prepare them yourself instead of eating the aluminum-soaked ones)
1 1/2 cups cooked buckwheat (here’s how)
2 cups sweet potato, diced and steamed
3-4 large kale leaves, chopped and steamed for 2 minutes, until they wilt.

*Make sure that if you are not making your own jerk seasoning, that you buy a clean one where you recognize all of the ingredients. It really should be onion/scallions, Scotch Bonnet peppers, sea salt, black pepper, allspice, nutmeg, thyme and maybe a smidge of sugar. That’s it. Jerk seasoning is very spicy and I am the type to put enough in to start a fire, so please start with small amounts. Stir in 1-2 tsp and taste, add more if you want more kick and remember that the ranch dressing is cooling and will be a terrific accompaniment when all wrapped together.

Let’s get started.
I prepare sprouted buckwheat and chickpeas for this recipe and then cook them. Here’s how to cook chickpeas and here’s how to cook buckwheat. Place together in a large glass bowl when done.

Take your diced sweet potato and steam for 15-20 minutes until soft—a fork should go in easily, but not so much that they are mushy. Once cooked, toss in the bowl with your buckwheat and chickpeas. Add the chopped kale to the steamer for 5 minutes, or until soft.

Add your steamed kale. Stir well.

Now, stir in the jerk seasoning. Start with less and slowly add more as you go, and remember that the ranch dressing is very cooling when paired with the spice.

Lightly steam a sprouted grain tortilla for about 2-5 minutes and lay flat on a large plate. Spoon in some of your jerk veggies and legumes. Add some lentil sprouts and mixed greens.

Top with Creamy Dairy-Free, Soy-Free Ranch Dressing and wrap it up!

You can skip the tortilla all together and make a ginormous salad. This recipe is a great one because all week you will have fixins in the fridge to play with. Make wraps, make salads…have fun.

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!

Today is my birthday so I made a little gluten-free, dairy-free cake with my favorite spice in the wide world—Cardamom. Thought I’d share, and now I’m off for some fun. Happy Day.

You can prepare these little cakes any way you want—I used ramekins as a mold and then removed them, frosting the whole cake. For a less-fussy prep, just keep them in the ramekins and simply frost the tops or make mini cupcakes out of them. I bet you could also bake in a glass loaf pan and frost the top for bread-like slices of cake. Just have fun and share what you come up with (#YUMadeIt).

Makes: 4 servings
Time: 25 minutes

Tools:
4 4″ ramekins
Blender
Chef’s knife
Sifter or strainer
Silicone spatula
Unbleached parchment paper
Glass mixing bowls
Small pan
Kitchen scissors (optional)
Tongs to remove ramekins from oven (optional)

Ingredients:
Try to buy everything organic. Here’s why.
Cake
1 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup buckwheat flour
1/4 cup sucanat
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine ground sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp chia seeds
1 red apple (honeycrisp, pink lady or gala are the best)

Frosting
1/4 cup toasted coconut
8 medjool dates, pitted
1 tbsp sucanat
2 tbsp cashews
1/2 cup pure water
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp coconut oil
Pinch fine ground sea salt

Let’s get started.
Preheat oven to 350F. Place little pieces of parchment (the size of the ramekin bottom) into your ramekins. Using a bit of coconut oil, grease the sides of the ramekins. Set aside.In a large bowl, sift together brown rice flour, buckwheat flour, sucanat, baking soda, sea salt, cinnamon and cardamom.

Place coconut oil, water, apple cider vinegar, vanilla extract, chia seeds and apple and blend until thoroughly mixed.

Using silicone spatula, sift together wet and dry ingredients. Spoon batter into ramekins, filling them 3/4 way.

Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes. Wash your blender.

After 15 minutes, carefully remove cakes and set aside to cool a bit.

Place all ingredients for the frosting in the blender and mix well until ultra creamy and smooth. Place in a mixing bowl and set aside.

Place coconut in a small pan heated over medium heat and toss for 1-2 minutes until brown. Keep an eye on this, the browning happens fast and you don’t want the coconut to burn. At this time, add a little extra if you want to sprinkle the top of your frosting with coconut, too.

Once brown, toss coconut (minus a bit for sprinkling) into frosting and fold together.

Once cakes are cooled completely (you can put them in the fridge to expedite the process), use a knife to free edges from ramekin. Place a little dish on top of the cake and flip.

Frost all sides and sprinkle with more toasted coconut if you’d like.

Enjoy!

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.

If you are a regular on YumUniverse then you know that this month we are sharing recipes that use the nutritional powerhouse—Sea Veggies. This dulse-based recipe is one that I am trying to eat more often these days to support my electrolyte balance, and to help keep my cortisol levels in check. It’s super easy to make and you can spread it on Manna bread (my fave above), enjoy it with fresh veggies, or spread it on crackers. Sometimes, if it’s already made and in the fridge, I’ll just eat a spoonful or three to satisfy hunger—seaweed is truly one of the most nutrient-dense foods in the world.

I like to make the lemon sauce and keep it in a glass jar in the fridge. The dulse is then stored in my pantry. I always mix the two together fresh when I’m ready to eat (or pack for lunch), although you can mix the two together and store the spread in the fridge. The sea flavor is enhanced when it has time to sit with the lemon sauce, so if you don’t mind that flavor, go ahead and prep it all ahead of time. I like just a hint of sea flavor, so I usually make mine fresh every time.

Read more about the benefits of sea veggies and why you should start making this recipe on the reg.

Makes: enough for many servings through the week. The step-by-step instructions below reflect a 1-2 serving size.

Tools:
Bowl
Spoon
Blender
Chef’s knife

Ingredients:
Try to buy everything organic. Here’s why.
Dulse flakes*

Creamy Lemon Sauce
1/4 cup organic lemon zest
3/4 cup soaked cashews (you can also try 1/2 cup cashews, 1/4 cup soaked sunflower seeds)
1/3 cup pure water
3 tbsp fresh, organic lemon juice
PInch fine ground sea salt

*It’s important to note that sea vegetables are known for their ability to absorb minerals from the water. Often, these are healthy minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium and iodine. However, when sea vegetables are located in polluted waters, they may also absorb heavy metals such as arsenic and lead. So, whenever you can, it’s best to purchase organic sea vegetables.

Let’s get started.
Place all Creamy Lemon Sauce ingredients in the blender and mix until ultra super smooth.

Spoon 2 tbsp dulse flakes in a bowl. Add 3 tbsp of creamy lemon sauce and mix well.

Spread onto a slice or two of manna bread, homemade Raw Sprouted White Bread, veggies or crackers. Enjoy!

Psst: If the sea taste is still too strong for you, add more zest and lemon juice to your sauce. You can also add dulse flakes to soups, salads and one pot dinners like Peppered Lentils with Butternut Squash—just sprinkle in to taste, like salt. Experiment and share with us what works best for you.
Have you tried our other recipes that use sea veggies?

Almond Butter Kelp & Kale Noodles

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.