Creamy Sunflower & Tahini Kelp Noodles Recipe (2024)

• 30 Minutes or Less, Dairy Free, Recipes, Sides, The Collective Series, Vegan

These Creamy Sunflower and Tahini Kelp Noodles will satisfy both your pasta and stir fry cravings in a healthier way. This dish is full of fresh vegetables and finished with an incredibly decadent vegan sauce made from sunflower butter and tahini.

This quick and healthy weeknight meal was created by Melissa Chapman, Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, as part of The Collective Series. Learn more about Melissa and get her delicious recipe below!

Today, I’m excited to welcome Guest Melissa Chapman to the blog. Melissa has an incredible background that eventually led her to follow a career that she is passionate about. We share a common path of both having graduated from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition, and I love being able to connect with other health coaches from around the world.

This post is part of The Collective Series that recently launched as part of this blog – a space to feature other food innovators and culinary wellness entrepreneurs through a common passion for healthy and delicious food. In case you missed them, check out the other guest chef features below for recipes that will blow your mind!

• Hearts of Palm Ceviche w/ Guest Chef Noeli
• Almond Curry Buddha Bowl w/ Guest Chef Morgan Avery
• Sweet Potato Latkes w/ Guest Chef Kelsey Moreau
• Garden Salad Pizza w/ Guest Chef Sarah McKee

About Melissa…

Melissa Chapman is a certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach originally from San Francisco, currently living in Washington, DC. She has been coaching individuals since 2018, helping them to improve their diet and health by upgrading their eating habits and overall lifestyle. Her clients are taught the basics of how to get started in the kitchen through provided menu plans and recipes. Through this approach, Melissa is able to guide them from a highly processed food diet to a whole foods lifestyle.

Melissa received her certification from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition in New York City and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Foods and Nutrition from San Diego State University. Prior to health coaching, she served 10 years in the US Navy and as a former project manager for a corporate retail/grocery store development.

To learn more about Melissa and her delicious recipes, visit tastendash.com and follow her on Instagram @tastendash.

CP: Tell us about yourself- what is your background in the culinary and wellness space?

MC: Nutrition and the food you eat has always been important to me since a very young age. I wasn’t always super healthy but I knew that food was key to feeling your best, which led me to major in Nutrition and Foods Studies in college. After college, I went with a different career path and while doing so, I ended up going to Le Cordon Bleu Culinary school in London for fun and received the Patisserie Diploma.

I continued to work outside of the food and wellness scene, but knew I would eventually circle back to it. I ended up going back to school to get certified as an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. I started taking on clients part time and then decided to take my practice full time as a health coach, food blogger and recipe developer. My goal is to help others feel confident enough in the kitchen to cook a healthy meal, while showing them that upgrading your diet and lifestyle can be easily attainable.

CP: What is your approach to cooking?

MC: Simple and clean ingredients. I try to stick to cooking with whole foods and very minimal processed ingredients.

CP: What gets you most excited in the kitchen?

MC: Preparing a meal for friends and family, while watching their face light up with satisfaction from the meal. Nothing gets me more excited than to see others love what I made and then want the recipe so they can make for themselves. Food and sharing a meal is all about bringing everyone together.

CP: What is the first recipe you ever created?

MC: This is a tough one, but one thing that stands out is smoothies. At a very young age, I used to whip out the blender and make random variations with yogurt, milk, fruit and cereal. I had no idea what I was doing but they always came out good.

CP: What is your favorite recipe you ever created?

MC: I would have to say this tahini sunflower butter noodle dish. It’s my most recent, and I served it at a friend’s house for dinner. Everyone raved about it and they all ordered the kelp noodles the following morning. I wasn’t familiar with kelp until recently and am now using the kelp noodles with different sauces including pesto, tomato sauce, and most recently, a non dairy Alfredo sauce.

CP: Tell me about your most horrific kitchen fail.

MC: This is a funny one and I shouldn’t have even been in the kitchen. I was 11 years old and thought it would be fun to cook dinner for my mom. I grabbed the chicken that was in the fridge, seasoned it up and popped it in the pan. I loved watching my mom and relatives cook so I had a general idea of what I was doing. When I plated the chicken and salad, I noticed the chicken was still pink. I thought the quickest way to finish it off was to sit it in front of the wall heater, hahaha. Let’s just say my mom was super appreciative but we went out to dinner that night.

CP: If you could enjoy one food for the next 30 days what would it be?

MC: That’s easy. Fresh sourdough bread with heirloom tomatoes and raw goat cheese.

CP: What was the inspiration behind this recipe?

MC: I am a huge fan of just about any pasta dish. I typically eat way more than I should, which always leaves me extremely full. When I heard about the kelp noodle having similar texture to pasta but nowhere close to the calories, I was intrigued. I found them at a neighborhood market and they immediately reminded me of a rice noodle, so I thought an Asian inspired dish would fit. The kelp noodle has such a neutral taste that I figured a strong flavored sauce would pair well with it. The dish has not disappointed. I have friends now making this at home.

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Creamy Sunflower & Tahini Kelp Noodles w/ Guest Health Coach Melissa Chapman

★★★★★ 5 from 1 review

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• Author: FitLiving Eats by Carly Paige
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 4 Servings 1x
• Category: Main
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Thai
• Diet: Vegan

Print Recipe

Description

These Creamy Sunflower & Tahini Kelp Noodles will satisfy both your pasta and stir fry cravings – in a healthier way. This recipe was created by Melissa Chapman, IIN Health Coach, as part of The Collective Series featured on the FitLiving Eats blog.

Ingredients

Units Scale

• 12 ounces kelp noodles*
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cups broccoli, chopped
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup shelled edamame, thawed (if frozen)
• Optional toppings: sliced scallions and sesame seeds

Sunflower Tahini Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons sunflower butter
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 1 tablespoon pure sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons coconut aminos
• 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
• 1/2 lime, juiced
• 2 teaspoons chili garlic paste or sriracha
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
• 2–3 tablespoons water (may need more or less depending on desired consistency)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. To prepare the kelp noodles, remove from the package and place in a bowl with water to soften. Set to the side. If you are substituting zucchini noodles, trim and spiralize the zucchini. Cut extra long noodles so that they are about the length of spaghetti. Lightly cover with salt and set to the side.
2. To prepare the sauce, add all of the ingredients to a bowl and mix until well combined. Set to the side.
3. To prepare the vegetables, heat the oil in a saute pan on medium heat. Add the broccoli and mushrooms; cook for about 7 minutes until soft. Next, add the edamame and cook for another 2 minutes. Stir in the sauce and turn down heat to low.
4. If using kelp noodles, rinse and drain. If using zucchini, pat dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
5. Add in noodles of choice to the veggie/sauce combo and toss until noodles are evenly coated.
6. For the kelp noodles, if you like a crunch you can serve right away. If you prefer a softer noodle similar to an angel hair pasta, let the noodles sit in the sauce mixture for about 10-15 minutes and serve.
7. If using zucchini noodles, serve immediately.
8. Garnish with optional toppings.
9. If you have leftovers, store in an airtight container for up to five days. Enjoy!

Equipment

large saute pan

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Notes

Could substitute kelp noodles for zucchini noodles.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 2 cups
• Calories: 267
• Sugar: 10g
• Sodium: 592mg
• Fat: 18g
• Saturated Fat: 5g
• Unsaturated Fat: 11g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 23g
• Fiber: 7g
• Protein: 8g
• Cholesterol: 15mg

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To continue to stay inspired by Melissa, follow her on Instagram at @tastendash.

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