when the little mermaid craves asian (gluten free sesame noodles)

Look at that stuff. Isn't it neat? Okay, sorry. I'll stop with the little mermaid references.

Lately, I've gotten really into kelp noodles, made entirely from seaweed, and anytime I eat them, I start thinking about Ariel, and it makes me want to dash over to our new/old piano and bust out some "Part of Your World."

These noodles are awesome, though. And welcome. Though the gluten-free diet is often talked about as a surefire way to lose weight, the reality is that it's only healthier if you not only nix all of your gluten-containing foods, but then don't replace them with gluten-free lookalikes. Most gluten-free pasta replacements are even worse for us than regular pasta. It's just more refined starch along with more oils than in wheat versions, and sometimes even sugar. Seriously.

So I've been trying to cut back on grains overall as a part of my new gluten-free situation. Not just replace them. Enter these kelp noodles, which are naturally low carb and low calorie, as well as free of all major allergens. They're also paleo-friendly, which makes me think about the Flintstones, and wish I could jump out of my window onto a slide that's actually a brontosaurus.

Clearly I watched too many cartoons as a kid.

I first got the idea to make sesame noodles from Serious Eats, but I would have made them with mung bean threads. Then I saw the recipe for sesame kelp noodles on Elana's Pantry. I took what I liked best from each -- the noodles from Elana and the sauce from Serious Eats, with the sugar reduced -- and put together this homage/mash-up recipe. It gets major comfort food points, but with minor caloric impact (and all the calories are from healthy fats). And it takes all of two minutes to make. Enjoy!

Nearly Instant Sesame Kelp Noodles

Ingredients:
1 package kelp noodles
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
6 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste)
1/2 cup water, plus more as needed
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
4 tablespoons soy sauce (gluten-free if needed)
1/2 teaspoon agave nectar (optional)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced ginger
Sriracha hot sauce or chili oil (to taste)
1 scallion, thinly sliced (optional)
sesame seeds (optional)

Instructions:
In a colander, drain and rinse the kelp noodles. If desired, chop them coarsely. Toss them in the sesame oil.
With a whisk or in the bowl of a food processor, mix together the tahini and water until smooth.
Gradually mix in the vinegar, soy sauce, agave, garlic and ginger.
Stir in the Sriracha or chili oil, and most of the scallion, if using.
Combine the noodles and sauce, and toss to coat well.
Garnish with remaining scallion and/or sesame seeds.
Serve and smile.

Have you tried kelp noodles? Any great recipes you can share???

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xoxo,