RECIPE: Kelp and Carrot Noodles Over a Bed of Wilted Spinach

So this was my lunch today--super easy to make, healthy and gorgeous!  It's so colorful and, really, isn't pretty food more fun to eat?

Kelp and Carrot Noodles Over a Bed of Wilted Spinach

Ingredients:
-  1 large carrot, julienned

-  1 1/2 c. kelp noodles, washed

-  1 heaping cup baby spinach

-  1 T. apple cider vinegar

-  12 whole almonds, toasted

-  2 T. soy marinade

-  Sea salt, to taste

*For marinade, combine 2 T. tamari, 2 T. balsamic vinegar, 1/4 c. red whine vinegar, 3 T. oil (I use Grapeseed), 2 garlic cloves, minced, and salt, to taste.  Vigorously mix all ingredients together.  Obviously, this will make more than 2 T. but it keeps vey well in the refrigerator, so you can save it for future meals :)

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 325.'

2.  Rinse kelp noodles and allow them to drain in a colander while you prepare other ingredients.

3.  Peel and julienne carrot using a mandoline or julienning utensil.  Incorporate carrot "noodles" with kelp noodles (still in colander).

4.  Put almonds on a baking sheet or in a small pie tin and toast for 9 minutes.

5.  Meanwhile, turn stove burner to medium-high and add apple cider vinegar to a skillet. Put spinach in skillet and cover for 30 seconds to a minute, or until soft but not totally wilted.  Turn off burner and remove skillet, placing spinach in a serving dish.  Salt.

6.  Remove almonds from oven (they should almost be done around this time) and coarsely chop.

7.  In cooled skillet (or separate spare bowl), toss noodles with the marinade.  Place noodles on top of spinach bed and sprinkle with almonds.

8.  Enjoy!

Tip:  I enjoyed my "noodles" with a special turmeric-cinnamon-ginger lemonade, which looks and sounds weird but which tasted totally refreshing!  For those interested, it's:

-  5 lemons, juiced

-  4 cups water

-  1 tsp. ground cinnamon

-  1 tsp. turmeric

-  1" ginger, minced

-  Pinch sea salt

...et voila!

*Pictures of it "in-the-making" follow my noodles pictures!!