Sea veggies are great! Yes, they are. Sea vegetables like Nori and Kelp are full of minerals and iodine so they help regulate our metabolism and feed our thyroid. Nori is also chock full of vitamin A, B and C not to mention calcium and niacin. In other words it'll help keep your heart, your bones and your skin healthy and boost your energy levels too, Sheesh!
Nori comes in dry sheets that are most commonly used in sushi rolls but they can be used in tons of other ways too. It's usually toasted but if you can try to buy raw Nori sheets these, like most raw foods, pack more of a nutritional punch. I used them here in a salad where they moisten up nicely when mixed in with the dressing and add a good chewy texture and interesting flavour.
Nori, Pear and Cashew Salad with Malple Vinaigrette, Terriyaki(ish) chicken and Quinoa.
This was our dinner a couple of nights ago and to be honest it was a last minute hotch-potch kind of dinner but OH MY it turned out scrummy! I'm quite proud because I came up with this combo entirely by myself without a sniff of inspiration except from inside my own head.
You Need:
2 Chicken Breasts (free range organic)
Honey
Tamari
1 clove of garlic, crushed
2 green/spring onions
A couple of good handfuls of leafy spring mix
1 large handful fresh cilantro (fresh corinader if your English :)
1/2 a large pear, chopped into small chunks
1 and a half nori sheets, cut into thin strips
I small handful cashews, chopped.
Olive oil
Apple cider vinegar
maple syrop
1 cup of Quinoa
salt and pepper to season
- Thoroughly rinse your Quinoa in a sieve then add to a sauce pan with 1 1/2 cups of water.
- While your Qunioa is coming to a boil chop the chicken into 1/2 inch thick strips and drop into a pan with a good size glug of hot oil. Sear all sides of the chicken.
- Squeeze your garlic clove through a crusher and add to the pan with the chicken, stir in and then turn the heat down to low.
- Add a couple of table spoons of Tamari and one tablespoon of honey. Stir into the chicken and leave to bubble away at a low heat stirring now and then.
- As soon as your Qunioa reaches a boil, turn the heat down to medium/low and cover the pan with a lid. Allow to simmer for 15 minutes.
- Wash your spring mix and cilantro, chop roughly and toss together in a large bowl.
- Add 2 -3 tablespoonfuls of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinager and 1 tablespoon of maple syrop to the salad.
- Add your chopped Nori sheets to the salad and toss it all together. Season to taste.
- Keep checking on your chicken and stirring occasionally. The sauce should be reducing down and it should be bubbling away into sticky, golden goodness but if it's starting to look too dry take it off the heat.
- Your chicken should be done at exactly the same time as your Quinoa which should be light and fluffy after 15 minutes.
- Time to plate! Sprinkle your chicken with the chopped green/spring Onions and sprinkle the salad with the chopped cashews.
Voila!
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