Photos by Marla Aufmuth
Tangled clumps of seaweed strewn along beaches like fractal tales of offshore storms are indicators that the season is starting. When anchored in the water, they are pure poetry, swaying with the currents. These algae are vital to the well-being of the ocean. They are the basis of the marine food web; sea creatures need them for sustenance and protection.
Seaweed also reduces coastal erosion, buffers against waves, and filters excess nutrients from wastewater. It’s a voracious sequester of carbon from the air and salt water. On land, it’s nothing short of miraculous—researchers at UC Davis found that including seaweed in cow feed reduced their methane emissions by 82 percent.
No toxic seaweeds exist in the United States. They are all edible, though some taste better than others and some are thick and chewy in unappealing ways. All of seafood is a superfood. In fact, it’s one of the most nutritious foods you can eat. Seaweed has vitamins, antioxidants, and omega-3s in spades. Scientists have found compounds in seaweed that help in weight loss and even fetal brain development when eaten by pregnant women.
Seaweed is even more amazing if you forage it yourself. With the sun rising, you can marvel at the tide pools and the sea creatures making the long, slow evolution to land. It’s a sublime experience that gets translated into your dishes.
You’ll find brown soda bread with seaweed in Ireland, or laverbread (oatmeal and nori cakes) in Wales. So when I first started making a popular version of the seed-and-nut bread, I realized that the oats would allow the mineral flavors of seaweed to shine. By adding seaweed, the bread has a savory layer. Also, unlike most baking, you can substitute your preferred nuts and seeds here. The only ingredient that is nonnegotiable are the psyllium husks and oats, as they bind it all together. I’ve also found that cooling and storing this for a day in the fridge helps make it less crumbly. Try it with the Seaweed Butter and Preserved Anchovies or cashew butter and Raspberry and Chamomile Jam.
Makes 1 loaf
1 1⁄2 cups rolled oats
1 cup dried seaweed (such as nori, kombu, sea lettuce, wakame, or any variation) torn into small pieces
1⁄2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1⁄2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1⁄2 cup raw hazelnuts
1⁄3 cup sesame seeds
1⁄4 cup raw almonds
1⁄4 cup ground flaxseed meal
5 tablespoons whole psyllium husks
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1 1⁄2 cups water
3 tablespoons coconut oil (or ghee/butter)
In a mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients and mix.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the water and coconut oil until the oil has melted.
Pour the oil mixture into the dry ingredients, and combine until everything is completely soaked and the dough becomes very thick.
Line a bread loaf pan with parchment paper and fill with the dough, pressing into the sides and smoothing out the top.
Let sit out on the counter for at least 2 hours, or all day or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the loaf pan in the oven on the middle rack, and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove the bread from the loaf pan, place it upside down directly on the rack, and bake for another 30 to 40 minutes. The bread is done if it sounds hollow when tapped. Let cool completely before slicing.
Store the bread in a tightly sealed container for up to 5 days. It freezes well too—slice before freezing for quick-and-easy toast! (Note: This bread slices better with a non-serrated knife.)
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