Wakame Salad

Wakame is a popular variety of seafood and has been eaten in Japan and Korea for centuries. Before you say, “Hey, why is Randy writing about seafood when his blog is vegetarian?”, let me state that wakame is a type of seaweed. It is also one of the oldest forms of life on earth. Think of it as a wild edible weed of the sea.

Although high in sodium, wakame has an incredible overall calorie-to-nutrition ration. By this I mean it is low in calories and high in nutrition. Wakame is also low in Saturated Fat and very low in Cholesterol. It is a good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid and Phosphorus. It is also a very good source of Riboflavin, Folate, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Copper and Manganese.

Here’s an easy-to-make gluten-free and vegan salad featuring wakame. Give it a try.

Ingredients:

3/4 ounce dried wakame seaweed

3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar

3 tablespoons Tamari (gluten free)

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon fresh ginger (finely grated)

1/2 teaspoon garlic (minced)

1 Granny Smith apple (cored but not peeled)

2 green onions (thinly sliced)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon sesame seeds (toasted)

Directions:

Soak wakame in warm water to cover, 5 minutes. Drain, then squeeze out excess water. If wakame is uncut, cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips.

Stir together vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, ginger, and garlic in a bowl until sugar is dissolved. Cut apple into 1/4-inch dice and add to dressing with the wakame, green onions, and cilantro. Toss to combine.

To serve, sprinkle salad with sesame seeds. For a complete meal, add a side of combined of brown rice and wild rice.