Wakame Cucumber Salad

A couple months ago, Rick and I went to shop at a nearby Asian market and bought a small bag of dried wakame seaweed. Since then, and as of late, we've been primarily using the yummy and healthful seaweed for miso soups (what is miso soup without seaweed anyway?).
Yesterday night I was reading through Energy Times Magazine's March 2012 issue, where they showcased the health benefits of different kinds of seaweed. This seaweed salad caught my eye and I decided to make it for lunch today:

A taste of the sea. =)

It was delicious and very easy to prepare. The sesame coated seaweed reminded me a lot of our new favorite noodle dish and had me thinking it can be a great noodle-substitute. Of course, it won't have the exact same texture or length as rice noodles but the seaweed made a great base and using it can massively cut carbohydrate intake. No blood sugar roller coasters on this dish. =)

Wakame Cucumber Salad
serves 3

2-3 4-inch strands dried wakame (I used pre-cut)
2 cucumbers
3 green onions
2 tablespoons rice (or red wine) vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon fresh, juiced ginger (I just grated the ginger)
pinch of sea salt
toasted sesame seeds, to taste and for garnish

1. Boil 2 cups of water and remove from heat. Soak wakame for 15 minutes (or prepare to package directions). Drain, rinse to cool and chop into small pieces.
2. Slice cucumbers down the middle, scoop out seeds and slice thinly. Chop green onions finely. Mix together in a medium bowl.
3. In a small bowl, combine vinegar, oils, ginger, and sea salt. Stir into salad and garnish with sesame seeds.

Great with ginger tea on the side. ^_^

Sesame and ginger make a delicious pair, don't they? I'm totally digging them lately. Mmm-mmm!
Below are the nutrition facts per serving for the salad. The grams of fat rely on the dressing but if you're watching your fat intake you can play around with the dressing and maybe add less oil. Be wary, however; vitamins A and E, which are found in seaweed, are fat soluble and need fat molecules to become absorbed into the bloodstream.

Nutrition Facts per Serving

Calories: 205
Fat: 19g
Carbs: 9g
Protein: 2g
Fiber: 2g

So what do you think; yay or nay? Seaweed is definitely not the most taboo food out there but I understand if most of you haven't gotten into trying it out just yet (especially my mum, who thinks sushi is freaky). As a little push, it's great if you know the health benefits of seaweed. *ahem*
According to Energy Times magazine, seaweed is known to contain anti-allergy and anti-inflammatory compounds, which can aid in improving immunity. The magazine also mentions, with dependance on the type of seaweed, that fiber, vitamins A, B, C and E, calcium, potassium, magnesium, copper, iodine, and even omega-3 fatty acids can be found in seaweed. ... Quite impressive.
One thing's for sure; seaweed is going to be a staple in our pantry, not only for it's amazing nutritional profile, but because it's great if we need a guilt-free salt fix!