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Irish moss has been the go-to ingredient to create a fluffy, gelatinous-like consistency in raw recipes. But it has been put under the microscope, and there is much discussion about whether it is safe to eat or not. I have read equal amounts of information arguing both sides of this controversy. So, when in doubt… fade-it-out or at least come up with a similar alternative. Raw kelp noodles!
Raw Kelp Noodles are a sea vegetable in the form of a raw noodle. Made of only kelp (a sea vegetable), sodium alginate (sodium salt extracted from a brown seaweed), and water.
They are fat-free, gluten-free, and very low in carbohydrates and calories. They contain a trace mineral and essential nutrient, iodine, which plays a crucial role in metabolism and thyroid function. Inadequate iodine intake can lead to thyroid problems, such as hypothyroidism.
Creating kelp paste is not going to be an exact science. When you blend the noodles to create the paste, the amount of water you use during that process will affect the gelling effect that the end product will produce.
The measurement that I listed below creates the perfect consistency for thickening puddings and smoothies, for example. The less water that you can get by with, the thicker and more set-up it will become, making it great for breads, cakes, and cheesecakes. It gives a recipe body, acts as a thickener, and adds excellent nutrients.
With the soaking process and the length that it was soaked, I couldn’t detect any smell or taste from the paste, which was very exciting. I am going to share a little funny, freak out moment that I had while creating this recipe. Whenever I develop recipes, my laptop comes into the kitchen with me. I learned years ago ALWAYS to write a recipe down as I go, even if it is going to be “haphazard” one because those usually always turn out to be the best.
Anyway, I was fussing with the noodles, going back and forth between the counter, blender, computer, blender, computer, and so forth. Well, a few hours later, when I sat down with my laptop… I jumped, yipped, and covered my eyes. There was a WORM on my computer screen!!! A WORM!!! Shiver-me-timbers… Without my husband home to save the day, I had to deal with the worm myself. I got up and grabbed a paper towel. Feeling that I was safe enough to where the darn thing wouldn’t jump on me (hey you never know, they might jump hehe), I inched my nose in closer to check it out. Closer, closer, closer… kelp noodle! Lol Not a worm, but a translucent kelp noodle clinging for its very life on my computer screen. It gave me a good chuckle, that’s for sure.
I am going to show you two different ways to soften the noodles; you can decide which means you are comfortable with. The method using the baking soda produces the smoothes texture. Enjoy and many blessings, amie sue
Ingredients:Yields 2 1/4 cups
Option 1
Option 2
Option 1
Option 2
You are brilliant!…simple as that ;D
I am going to take your word for it Elizabeth. lol You crack me up. :) Blessings, amie sue
Thank you soooo much for this insight as a swap out for the irish moss..doing my best to avoid any inflammatory food substances but want to keep it raw. thanks for your Genius and sharing! with love and aloha, Dodee
Your welcome Dodee :)
This is FABULOUS!!! I have been so afraid to work with Irish Moss! This I can do!!!!
YOU can DO it Michele! I have complete faith in you, even with the Irish moss :) Have a blessed nights sleep. amie sue
Great post, just an FYI..the controversy with Irish Moss is the same for kelp. Carageenan is made from different kinds of seaweed, kelp being one of them..so the controversy covers both kelp and moss. I am on the fence too..and I don’t use it often..but there is nothing like it out there….and I”m sure there are other things we eat that are much worse..so I’m not letting it scare me..i will still use it for certain things..whether it be kelp or irish moss.
I am right there with you Barb. Thanks for sharing that. I don’t use either on a regular basis but it is nice to have options. Have a great evening, amie sue
Hi. What is the controversy about? Thanks.
You can read a snippets worth here; https://nouveauraw.com/raw-thickeners/irish-moss-gel/ amie sue
OMG! This is exciting. The only place I could ever gt it was Cafe Gratitude inhe bay area. I have heard about the controversy. Now ordering it on line and with the shipping prices, it doubles the price. And in comes Amy Sue to save the day. Wanted to try some special goodies or a cheesecake for my son when he comes for his every 3 month visit! I’m a happy mama.
When Mamabird is happy, I am happy. hehe I just love the fact that kelp noodles are much easier to obtain. Your son is a lucky boy to have a moma like you to spoil him. :) Many blessings, amie sue
what a GREAT tip. i was just thinking that i had better get some Irish moss, to do desserts with, but not wanting to deal with it, and plus, not knowing if it was really that great for us. Then I saw this! Perfect timing, and i had a bag of the noodles in my fridge, to boot!! Can you beat that? And I haven’t bought kelp noodles in a long time, and they just happened to be in my fridge! Thanks so much. K.
I always have a bag of kelp noodles floating in my fridge. Even when I think I don’t, I do. hehe Enjoy! amie sue
Hello Amie!
Do you have the cookbook titled Sweet Gratitude A New World of Raw Desserts (Cafe Gratitude)? If so, do you think many of those desserts, particularly cheesecakes, could be easily prepared with kelp noodle paste instead of Irish Moss? Have you tried some of those recipes using kelp noodle paste. I am assuming that the amount needed for a certain recipe would be the same as if you were using Irish Moss. Right?
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Wayne
Hello Wayne,
I haven’t tried it yet. It’s on my list. :) But like you said, use the same measurement that a recipe calls for. Sorry that it took the better half of the afternoon to respond. Have a great day! amie sue
Great idea! I hadn’t yet thought about this & have also read conflicting information on the Irish moss I had been using. Thanks & Big hugs!
Just nice to have options. Hard to know sometimes as to what is what these days in the health movement. Have a great night Lana :)
Dear Amie Sue,
Greetings. As usual, you do an outstanding job. Question: What size bag of kelp noodles did you use in the kelp noodle paste recipe?
Also, have you seen this short YouTube video on kelp noodles by John Kohler?:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOkFyVYtGTw
I didn’t know that Irish Moss’ safety was being questioned. I wonder if another sea vegetable like wakame would work as a paste (though it would impart a distinct brown color)?
Thank you for your zeal, gusto, and sweetness, as exemplified thru your website!
Sincerely,
Anna
Good evening Anna,
It is a 12 oz bag. The link in the ingredient list will take you to the one that I used. :)
I haven’t see the video but I will watch it tomorrow. Getting ready for bed right now. Thanks for sharing the link.
I am not familiar with wakame but if it adds a color to a recipe, that could be a problem for some of the desserts. I will have to Google wakame. So much to learn, so little time. hehe Night Anna! amie sue
Hi Amie-sue, This is great! Hope you will share some simple dessert recipes using the Kelp noodle paste.
Thanks for all you share-love, love, love your site!
Kendra
I have some in the works Kendra. :) Just been so busy that I haven’t had as much time in the kitchen to experiment! What a shame, hehe
Thank you so much Aime-Sue. I’ve not been successful in obtaining irish Moss in Australia but do use kelp noodles. Just wondering if the kelp noodle paste could substitute for coconut oil in recipes as I really don’t like the flavour and after taste the oil leaves in my mouth? This has stopped me making a lot of recipes. Thanks in advance.
Good morning Bernadette,
No, I don’t think that kelp paste would be a good option for coconut oil replacement. They are totally different ingredients that play different roles in recipes. Coconut oil does help to firm up certain recipes as Irish moss or kelp paste would but coconut oil is also a fat emulsifier which brings recipes together, gives a nice mouth feel, etc. I mentioned before about trying a coconut oil that is more refined as they don’t have the coconut flavor. Have you tried that? Have a great day Bernadette. :) amie sue
I was just looking at a package of these in the store the other day wondering what I would do with it. :-) Well now I know.
They are great for making “pasta” dishes too! :)
Hi there- I want to make your French Garden Bread. Have you given measurements any where to sub the irish moss for the kelp noodle paste? Will that work in all recipes to sub kelp paste for irish moss?
Your site is wonderful, btw. Thank you :-)!
HI Holly,
You can use the same amount of kelp paste as what is called for with the Irish moss in this recipe. I haven’t tried the kelp in all of my recipes where I have used the Irish moss but I am hoping that we can! Thank you for your sweet words, many blessings. night :)
Hi Amie Sue,
I will let you know the results. I will experiment with the bread recipes ( after this juice fast, lol) . Thank you for your response.
Good luck on your juice fast Holly. I don’t know about you but when I do cleanses/fasts, I tend to dream up recipes and create them on paper during that time. Not sure why. hehe Many blessings! amie sue
Amie Sue, You are GENIUS!!! I have not ordered Irish Moss since all of this bad press. I have the same philosophy that you put so eloquently, “When in doubt, leave it out.” Who would have thought kelp noodles?? You!! I can’t wait to try this. You are simply the best. Thanks for this awesome website. You set the bar very high my dear friend.:) Miss you both.
Awe, Georgette, you are always so darn sweet. hehe I am so thankful that our paths crossed. If you ever end up near OR… please let me know. Talk to you soon, amie sue
Great post! I was just looking for substitutes as I am hosting a dinner soon and cannot get irish moss anywhere it seems. It makes total sense to simply use a similar algae and work it the same way as one would with the moss. Thanks so much for writing this up and giving me the lightbulb moment :)
Your welcome. :) Go have some fun in your kitchen! amie sue
In terms of Irish Moss issues, isn’t the tested ingredient the extracted, heated form of Irish Moss?
Raw Kelp Noodles:
Raw kelp noodles are made from kelp that has been stripped of its outer skin leaving a clear, thin interior. Then preserved in sodium alginate, a natural salt (sodium salt extracted from a brown seaweed).
Irish Moss:
Chondrus crispus — commonly called Irish moss or carrageen moss (Irish carraigín, “little rock”) — is a species of red algae which grows abundantly along the rocky parts of the Atlantic coast of Europe and North America. In its fresh condition this protist is soft and cartilaginous, varying in color from a greenish-yellow, through red, to a dark purple or purplish-brown.
From what I have read so far, they differ. There is a lot of controversy on the web regarding Irish moss… there are those that stand by and those that oppose it. Hard to make heads or tales of it. In the meantime if either of these product concern you…I encourage you to do your own research on these ingredients. I wish I had better answers… but I can’t find solid info to make any claims.
Have a great evening, amie sue
You website is so educational and fun! I like kelp noodles because it contains iodine and now learning it’s a thickener is so exciting. Does soaking them to remove any odor remove the iodine too?
Good morning Jan,
Yes, I find that soaking them helps to neutralize the “sea” smell. :) I am thrilled that you are enjoying my site. Have a wonderful day, amie sue
Amie Sue,
First off, so excited by the kelp noodle paste. Sounds easier than dealing with Irish moss anyway. I about split my gut laughing at your worm story~~AAAGH invasion of the kelp noodle worms~~how dare they! And to boot getting on the computer. Must have been a nice warm place for the noodle to hang out. I am still chuckling.
I still giggle about it myself to this very day… but at the time… eeeew, not so funny! well until I figured out what it was. lol
Thank you for the post. I guess in addition to the health research, a great part about this is the cost. A 16 oz bag of Irish Moss can cost about $17 and higher while a bag of Kelp Noodles can run you about $6 for the same amount (here in the Midwest).
As mentioned, in addition to the healthy part, that’s like gold for me.
Your welcome Jet. I hope this new information opens many new creations for you. Have fun! amie sue
Your welcome Jet. Have a great weekend! I hope this post helps in your future creations. amie sue
I used Kelp noodles in “Sweet Gratitude’s” coconut meringue instead of the Irish Moss and it worked really well. Thanks!
Awesome Gayle. Thank you for letting me know! Comments like these really help “us”… :) Your amazing. Have a gloriously, wonderful and spectacular day! amie sue
I can use agar agar?
It depends on the recipe Mayeli. It can’t always be used as a straight substitute. amie sue
Excited to try your bread recipe replacing Irish moss with kelp noodles/ paste. ThIs might be a dumb question but while I await the noodles to arrive via mail, could I soak kelp granules to make paste instead of the noodles?
Thanks!
Hello Anna,
No such thing as a dumb question in my book. :) Kelp granules are a powder and won’t create a gel-like texture such as kelp noodles or Irish moss. Have a wonderful weekend! amie sue
Wow, it’s great to discover Nouveau Raw! I had tried making a raw vegan apple kugel using kelp noodles instead of pasta, but that was my only attempt to use kelp noodles for a dessert. I look forward to trying your technique, Amie Sue! As for Iris moss, I wrote to a scientist who has done studies on the harmful aspects of carrageenan (which is made from Irish Moss) and what she wrote me about Irish moss was very interesting. You can see it in my new post: http://www.rawfoodsnewsmagazine.com/breaking-news/our-2015-new-years-rawsolutions
Good evening Judy,
I am so happy that you discovered NR too! :) My husband LOVES apple kugel. Have you tried maybe using Young Thai coconut meat cut into noodle strips? Thank you for the info on Irish moss. I have it book marked to read. I appreciate it. Have a blessed and Merry Christmas. amie sue
Amie-Sue, How cool that your husband loves apple kugel. Have you made any raw vegan versions of it? Great minds think alike, I do recall many years ago making a version using young coconut cut into noodle shapes. :-)
Here’s an entrepreneurial idea up for grabs: I wish wish WISH someone would start a business in which they deliver young coconuts to people’s doorsteps (like milkmen used to deliver dairy products many decades ago).
I have to drive a half hour to get young coconuts (putting them in a cooler during the trip home, as it’s otherwise too hot here in FL), and they are such a luxury, I usually reserve them for making ice cream. But if they were easy to come by, I would use them for a lot more recipes.
Honestly Judy, I haven’t. I have several recipe written up to try but just never got around to it. But thank you for re-inspiring me! :) You know I have always thought of that same idea but with nut milks. hehe I am right there with you.
I now order my young Thai coconut meat online. They sell organic, frozen, meat or coconut water. It is pure, delicious and well worth it. I have spent about 8 years cracking coconuts, never knowing what I will get inside, having to buy more than I think that I need, getting bad ones… etc. Here is their link: http://www.exoticsuperfoods.com/collections/all
Merry Christmas Judy and many blessings, amie sue
Thanks, Amie-Sue, for that link.
Has anyone here ever made anything by soaking a tiny seed called Kaniwa? I came across this item for the first time yesterday, never having heard of it before. It’s packaged for boiling, but since it’s a seed, I would assume it could be soaked and eaten raw, if the seeds themselves are still raw. I did buy a box and will see what I can make with it.
Hmm, I haven’t heard of it before Judy. If you tinker with it, keep me posted. In the meantime I will have to do some reading on it. Many blessings and Merry Christmas. amie sue :)
Amy, I’m having a issue with the kelp noodles. I soaked them as you said, but it’s really giving my Vitamix a workout. I added the right amount of water. My Vitamix was getting warm.
I am surprised to hear this Angela. I never have a problem with kelp paste, it isn’t a thick batter. Do you have the tamper for the Vitamix to help keep it moving? If not, are you stopping to scrape the sides down to get it all blended?
Amy thanks for responding so quickly. Yes, I was scraping the sides and kept it moving. I put it in a jar in the fridge, until I heard from you. It’s been in the fridge not even 24hrs.
Perhaps you need to add a tad bit more water to keep it moving to turn into the paste form. It’s hard when I can’t see and be there to see what is going on. Keep me posted! amie sue
That’s what I was wondering. I’ll give it a go. Get back to you. That is if I don’t get side tracked with your new, amazing apple crumble recipe!
Ok, I added a little more water. Now it looks too running. It doesn’t have a thick smooth consistency like yours appears to have. I’m really upset about this. I’m starting to call this my “science project”. I could start over again, I did purchase Irish.moss at the same time. By the way, I did run the vitamix again ,after adding the water. I’m sorry I’m having such a problem with this. Thanks for helping me out.
Good afternoon Angela,
It should thicken up a bit as it chills. I am sorry that you are having some issues with it. We learn a lot through science products so disregard the experience. :) I made kelp noodle paste often so I am sorry again to hear that this has been such a challenge. Don’t give up! Blessings, amie sue
I wish you would not remove the IRish Moss from your recipes or at least leave the option and the equivalent amount. I for one cannot do psylium seeds and kelp noodles are much harder to find here than Irish moss which gives me know trouble at all. Whole IRish moss is known to help digestive difficulties not create them or agravate them. I am a celiac and it doesn’t bother me at all. Some of your recipes I can no longer use as the IRish moss has been removed. I think there are a lot of Fads and a lot of people tend to over react to every new bit of food information on the market… one day coffee is good for you the next it will kill you. I believe it is up to us to make our own decisions and others shouldn’t do it for us. Appreciate your good recipes and would love to be able to make them all. Best Aeriol
Aeriol,
Thank you for sharing. I haven’t removed any recipes from my site that I had used Irish Moss in… they are still all there.:) Here is the link to my write up on Irish Moss – https://nouveauraw.com/raw-thickeners/irish-moss-gel/. I think you will see that we already see eye to eye on this issue. Have a wonderful day, amie sue
Amie-Sue, I am blown away by your creativity and your awesome website which I immediately shared with friends and family. And to think you just give it all away. You are a blessing. I am new to the raw food community and just starting to have fun. With regard to a gelling agent, as I read these posts, I remembered a bag of Miracle Noodles I had in the fridge which I have not yet used. Checked out the ingredients and did a little research finding info on konjacfoods.com.They have health benefits, just not sure of the processing techniques as they don’t completely explain. High in absorbable calcium. Hey, Dr. Oz endorses them, that’s a good thing I think. Can you shed any light on these products as a potential thickener?
Gosh, thank you Donna. It truly all stems from love and passion for healthy living. :)
I am familair with Miracle Noodles, in fact I have several bags in my pantry. I can’t say that I have tried them in the role of a thickener. The best advice that I can give it to blend them up and test it out.
I have used Konjac Glucomannan flour as a thickener before… neither products are raw but I am ok with that. https://nouveauraw.com/recommended-ingredients/emulsifiers-thickeners/miracle-noodle-gluten-free-konjac-flour-8-oz/. They also make a Miracle Noodle Rice which might blend easier. Not sure but worth a try.
Have fun and keep me posted if you give it a try. Blessings, amie sue
Amie-Sue, the store near me that carries Kelp Noodles just started carrying a new raw noodle product from the same company, Sea Tangle. Named KonaBerry Noodles, they look and tastes just like the kelp noodles, but are made with kona berries instead of kelp. I had never heard of kona berries. The package says they have 100 times more antioxidants than blueberries! Kona berry is the fruit that surrounds and protects the coffee bean, and is grown in Kona, Hawaii. I have only eaten one package so far, with my raw vegan pesto. I have to try them in dessert recipes and breads next!
Whoops. Is there a way to edit the post I just submitted? It has a typo. It should read: “They look and taste…”
There is something to be learnt daily isn’t there?!! How do you like the Sea Tangle noodles? Have a wonderful new week! Blessings, amie sue