I’ve been a little under the weather lately (and yay! the weather has finally arrived in Napa!) Even with the healthy diet I consume (future post,) I, too, can succumb to the bugaboos that infiltrate our systems. While I wasn’t in much of a mood to cook recently (now you know I’m not well),  I was able to access a nice assemblage of still-fresh items and pull them together for two nourishing entrees.

The first dish uses wild salmon which I had frozen in season this fall.  Fish doesn’t always have the same nice texture when thawed, so I will often cube it and toss it into a stir fry.

I always have some type of leafy greens on hand (usually more than one) and this week it was chard from my CSA box. I also had some  extra shredded cabbage leftover from a batch of homemade sauerkraut.

Then there’s onion (another staple,) and cilantro from my herb garden.

With most of my one-dish wonders, I try to create a theme – and this one was leaning towards the Orient. Now typically, I would serve this medley over quinoa or brown rice…but an oft heard phrase in our house is ‘go with what you’ve got,’ (just don’t tell my grammar teacher.) In the fridge I had a bag of kelp noodles which I have used many times for other Asian-inspired dishes.

Kelp noodles are not only light in color (almost translucent,) they’re also low in calories (6 per 4oz.), and light in flavor, so they take on whatever seasoning you add to them.  Sea veggies (as in kelp) are an excellent source of minerals, especially calcium, iron, and iodine which is woefully missing from the Standard American Diet (S.A.D.)  You can find the kelp noodles at Whole Foods Markets or most health food stores.

Kelp Noodles with Salmon and Greens

Serves 2

4 oz. wild salmon, cut in chunks
1 C chopped greens – chard, spinach, or kale
1 C shredded cabbage
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
1/2 bag kelp noodles
1/2 C chopped cilantro
Sesame (untoasted) or coconut oil
Rice vinegar
Sesame seeds

Saute onion in wok or skillet with 1 TB oil until soft.  Add salmon and saute on medium-high heat until lightly seared.  Toss in greens and cabbage and stir often until lightly wilted.

Meanwhile, place noodles in warm water and soak for 10 minutes; drain.

Dish up noodles and top with hot wok items.  Drizzle toasted sesame oil and vinegar to taste and garnish with cilantro and sesame seeds.

Serve pronto and share the love.  You’ll feel better, too.