Kelp Noodles

Sounds delish, huh? We recently tried Purely Pad Thai from a certified organic, vegan, raw restaurant in Los Angeles called Leaf Cuisine. I picked up the take-out meal in my local Mother's Market. Intrigued by the idea of raw noodles, I read the list of ingredients.

INGREDIENTS: kelp noodles, yellow squash, red pepper, brazil nuts, cashews, wild jungle peanuts, coconut water, sesame oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, cilantro, agave, dates, and sea salt

Kelp noodles?!?! Apparently, if you strip off the green outer layer of kelp, you're left with clear, neutral tasting, noodle-like innards. I passed by the raw pad thai a few times, then decided to go back for it. At $6 and change for 1 entree, I was hesitant to experiment, but I went for it.

Bravo, Leaf Cuisine! My semi-vegetarian daughter loved it, as did I. My daring boyfriend described it as "different and interesting" and said he'd be willing to have it again. Unfortunately, my 8 year old daughter has nut allergies, so it's difficult to find prepared raw foods she can enjoy with us. All in all, it was a successful experiment. Here's the link for a picture of the meal. http://www.leafcuisine.com/