Curry & Cashew Noodle Salad with Avocado Mayonnaise

Raw, Vegan, Grain-Gluten Free (with Raw Fusion options)

The original recipe was contributed by one of our Natural Wellness coaching candidates, to which we did a little tweaking.  Sue Boyce is the uber-talent behind Rawsome – do check out her website for some great recipes and fabulous desserts.  We recently had a photo session to take photos for The Forever Plan (my new book coming out in early 2015) and many local students and friends came out to help prepare and style the dishes; This was really popular at the grand banquet we had when the photos were all taken.

Have you tried kelp noodles?  I discovered these about 5 years ago along with the raw community, searching for a pasta alternative with a bit more crunch and texture than spiralized squash.  The main brand I’ve seen are Sea Tangle and they have plain as well as an organic green tea version, that I prefer. You can order them online but I have seen them in many health food stores in the refrigerated section (they store in fridge and are vacuum packed to stay fresh a long time).  They must be widely available if they are in the South Island of New Zealand!

While many raw foodists enjoy them in a variety of pasta-inspired dishes, I think they lend themselves much more Asian dishes, like my Thai Inspired Broccoli Salad.

 The Secret to Making Kelp Noodles Taste Better

Out of the package they are not the most pleasant-tasting; In fact, they are kind of neutral in flavor and have a bit odd texture that can be greatly improved by long soaking time.  You can place them in a covered pot with water and store overnight in fridge.  I prefer to heat water under boiling (to keep the noodles raw) and soak the noodles for several hours, changing the water at least once.  This softens the texture and makes them pleasantly chewy.

Raw Fusion Option

If you love the spiralized squash, you can certainly use that in place of the kelp noodles.  For a partially cooked option, try rice vermicelli noodles or mung bean threads.  There are also some other lower starch options like black bean spaghetti that have high amounts of fiber and protein.

Great as Main Meal or Side Dish

I found this dish filling and satisfying as a main course.  It would also be a nice side dish for a Raw Fusion family.  The avocado curry  mayonnaise is a super alternative for the bottled brands that are highly processed.  With Thanksgiving coming up, try it on the leftover sandwiches for better nutrition and healthy fats.

Curry Noodles & Cashews Salad

Serves 2

Ingredients:
2 cups kelp noodles (or one package)
2 stalks of celery
1 tomato chopped or a half cup of sliced grape tomatoes
½ cup cashew nuts, coarsely chopped
2-3 scallions, chopped
Optional: 1-2 TB coconut liquid aminos

Directions: Using a kitchen shears, cut the noodles into smaller pieces. Soak in warm water for 1-2 hours, changing out the water at least once. This will soften the noodles. Rinse and place in a large bowl, tossing in the cashews, chopped tomato and celery. Toss with liquid aminos (optional) Pour the Avocado Curry Mayo and using tongs or two forks, blend the mayo well, coating all of the noodles. Sprinkle with the chopped green onions. Note: You can use the cashews whole or chopped and if you want to soften them, soak for 20 minutes, rinse and drain.

Raw Fusion Option: Use rice vermicelli noodles or mung bean threads to replace the kelp noodles.

Avocado Curry Mayo

Ingredients:
2 avocados
1 TB apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. curry powder
1 ½ tsp. raw honey*
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Optional: Add a dash of garlic powder

Blend until creamy.

*can replace with coconut nectar,  agave or 2 soaked dates