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One of the best decisions I’ve made in recent years was to earn a certification in nutrition and wellness. And while I can’t say the economy of my household allows me to change careers, it’s certainly improved my life and expanded my creativity in the kitchen.
Years past, I wouldn’t have taken a second look at the packages of kelp noodles sitting on the store shelves, much less have any idea what they were or how to use them.
Kelp Noodles
I discovered kelp noodles  at a raw cooking class I attended with my daughter-in-law at Bastyr University. I was intrigued by the brown seaweed noodles the chef had us work with. They had a slightly rubbery texture, and were almost flavorless by themselves. Yet when we served them with a marinara sauce they became an amazing dish of spaghetti.
Sweet and Sour Salmon with Kelp Noodle Salad
So why am I going into such detail about a non-descriptive food? For us weight watching folks they contain almost no calories or fat, but still have a noodle-like texture.
I chose to stir fry my kelp noodles with a combination of colorful vegetables and top them with a filet of salmon smothered in a garlicky sweet and sour sauce. I was happy with the fact that I could have a pile of noodles in this stir fry recipe, without a pile of calories – a winning combination if you ask me.
Sweet and Sour Salmon with Kelp Noodle Stir Fry
Admittedly, you won’t find these at your local grocery store, so they require an extra trip to a whole foods market, or you can find them on Amazon. I found them PCC Natural Market, but don’t think you’ll have to pay a pretty penny – the price hit to my pocketbook was less than three dollars.
The next time you want to be creative in the kitchen, give this stir fry with kelp noodles a try. If the thought of eating kelp is just too much for you, swap them out for your noodle of choice, or leave them out. It’s all good.
Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 pound wild Alaskan Salmon filets
- 4 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 1 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth, or vegetable or fish broth
- ½ cup ketchup, I buy low sugar ketchup
- 4 teaspoons low sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- ½ large red bell (capsicum) peppers, thinly sliced
- ½ large green pepper , thinly sliced
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- 1 cup carrot , sliced
- 1 cup broccoli, florets
- ½ cup basil, chopped
- 12 ounces kelp noodles, rinsed and drained
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and line a cookie sheet with foil sprayed with cooking spray.
- Combine broth, ketchup, soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, honey, garlic and cornstarch in a small sauce pan. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly until it thickens. Approximately 5 - 6 minutes.
- Spoon 1/2 the sauce mixture over salmon filets, sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes until salmon is no longer opaque at the thickest part. Don't overcook or salmon will be dry.
- Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium high and add oil. Add onion, peppers and carrots and cook for 5 minutes to soften. Add broccoli and mushrooms and continue to cook another 5 - 10 minutes until vegetables are crisp-tender. Add remaining sauce and kelp noodles and heat through.
- Serve with salmon.
Notes
Calories: 475 Weight Watchers PointsPlus 12 Total Fat: 21.61g Cholesterol: 62mg Sodium: 820mg Total Carbs: 34.87g Dietary Fiber: 5.33g Sugars: 20.99g Protein: 30.09g
If you’re looking for more healthy and low calorie Weight Watchers recipes, check out my Recipe page. You’ll find hundreds of family pleasing recipes.Â
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Please see disclaimer for further details. Nutrition information is compiled with MacGourmet. If you find discrepancies, please let me know. It’s important to me that I provide you with accurate information.
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{ 28 comments… read them below or add one }
What a great idea for noodles! This sauce needs to be soaked up and savored.
Belinda @zomppa recently posted…Smooth and Sweet Helado de Coco
What an interesting recipe! I’ve seen kelp noodles in Asian markets, but had no idea what to do with them (and wasn’t inclined to experiment). But now I know! Wonderful flavor combo. Excellent job – thanks.
They’re pretty affordable, so experimenting isn’t too painful if a recipe fails.
Oh boy, I am loving this. I haven’t seen these noodles but I am certainly going to look for them. This dish looks fantastic and that sauce, yum.
Suzi recently posted…Lentil Lemon Salad – French Friday’s with Dorie
The sauce really was good with the salmon and veggies. The noodles add some fun.
I’ve started looking into kelp as a supplement and I’m excited to see these noodles. Will check them out on Amazon. Beautiful pictures also.
Sandra recently posted…Memorial Day
You’ll have to let me know how you like them. Thank you for the comment on the pictures. I’ve been really working on my food photography.
I bought some of these on Amazon a couple of years ago and couldn’t figure out what to do with them. This dish looks colorful and full of flavor–I may have to order the noodles again to try it.
Cucina49 recently posted…To Rome, With Love
I wouldn’t have known either until I took that class. I love taking cooking classes, I always learn something new.
healthy delicious looking salmon and noodle
torviewtoronto and createwithmom recently posted…Leek potato soup
It is such a good substitute to have on hand. I know personally I often have intense noodle cravings, and these could satisfy!
kale recently posted…this was not a mistake: baños, ecuador
They have an up to 6 month shelf life, so they are a good pantry item.
yum! that sounds so delicious! i’ve never had kelp noodles, but i think i may just have to give them a try!
When you take them out of the package they’re this tangle of rubbery noodles and you think you can’t possibly make anything edible from them, but they truly are fantastic.
Oh! I love these noddles…I usually buy them at the local Korean market…
I like the way you prepared them with vegetables…looks delicious!
Hope you are having a great week Kristi
Juliana recently posted…Chinese Steamed Buns
Thanks Juliana! The noodles are so much fun. You’ll have to let me know how you use them. You have a good week too.
I’ve never tasted kelp noodles or if I did, I didn’t know that was what I was eating. Sounds like fun.
Maureen @ Orgasmic Chef recently posted…Dani Valent’s In the Mix Masterclass in Brisbane
Fun, low calorie (really no calorie) and cheap. Can’t beat that.
I’ve never had kelp noodles before, but I have noticed them on the shelves. Maybe next time I see them, I’ll have to pick up some =) This dish sounds wonderful!
Peggy recently posted…Broccoli Cheddar Soup
For just a few pennies, it’s fun to try something new.
WHAT?!!! I can not wait to find some of these noodles! Why have I not seen them before? grrr.
thanks for the recipe!
xo
Hey Gwen – let me know if what you think if you give them a try. They are a tangle of fun to work with.
Terrific post, thanks for introducing a new ingredient to me. I love hanging out at the Asian specialty food store, but have to confess to great ignorance in every aisle.
Thanks so much for sharing
Dave at eRecipeCards.com
Cooking classes always introduce me to something new. So much fun! I received the oil and vinegar. I’m looking forward to dreaming up something new to use them with. Thank you and enjoy your weekend!
I have never seen kelp noodles…will have to keep an eye out for them. This is a wonderful and flavorful stir-fry!
Magic of Spice recently posted…What’s for snack time? Smoked Fontina Crostini with Summer Salsa
I’m off to see if I can find them at Trader Joes this morning. I know they sell them at PCC or online. Have a good week to come!
I’m going to try finding the kelp noodles at the Asian market near me. I picked up my favorite sweet potato noodles there yesterday and they look exactly the same as your picture. Do you know from which ethnicity of food, the kelp noodles originate? (The market near me is HUGE and it helps if I go in knowing whether to check Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Thai foods….)
Hi Mary – I only know that I find it in the Asian section of my natural foods market, or you can buy them online. I love this review from The Healthy Cooking Coach if you’re looking for further information on the product. I’ve never seen sweet potato noodles – I’m assisting a class at PCC on Thursday, so I’m going to look for them. I’m surprised they have the same translucent look to them. Do they taste like sweet potatoes?