Paleo iodine wraps nori-min

Paleo Iodine Wraps

Since my new supply of himalayan salt arrived with a big warning on the outside “this does not contain iodine”, I've been craving salty foods.  I'm sure this is psychosomatic, but it has lead to quite a lot of reading about iodine deficiency in the last week.

Himalayan-Salt-Iodine-paleo iodine wraps-min

It does appear to be quite possible to become deficient in iodine when eliminating regular iodised salt and conventionally raised animal products.  Apparently they started adding iodine to salt many years ago – and to animal feed, as many people were deficient in the mineral.  Iodine plays a crucial role in thyroid function and is an essential mineral.  I had quite extensive blood work a couple of months ago but for some reason, despite my thyroid function being tested, iodine levels were not part of the tests.  I will get my levels checked out, but in the meantime, I need to make sure I get enough iodine, be it from my diet, or supplements.  Kelp Supplements seem to be quite popular, so perhaps they will be a good choice?

Wild caught fish is a good source of iodine, but I don't incorporate this in my diet regularly – this is probably something I need to change.  Seaweed is supposed to be an excellent source of iodine, so to that end, I created “Paleo Iodine Wraps” for dinner this evening, using Nori sheets.

The wraps were going to contain beef, but I actually found some fresh turkey today – and it was on sale, so I had to buy it (I've got no idea why it's so hard to find turkey in Australia – it's got such a fantastic nutritional profile!).  As you might have noticed I'm quite keen on putting fruit in with savoury dishes, so thought I'd experiment with some apricot to go with the turkey and seaweed flavours.  I'm really enjoying coconut aminos at the moment, so I used it to marinate the turkey and beef in.

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Ingredients

Fresh Turkey
Thinly Sliced Beef
Onion
Capsicum (bell pepper)
Zucchini
Mushrooms
Tomato
Lettuce
Avocado
Nori Sheets
Coconut Oil
Coconut Aminos
Coriander (Cilanto)
Himalayan Sea Salt
 

Method

I cut the turkey and beef into thin strips and let them marinate in the coconut aminos for a few minutes, whilst I prepared the rest of the ingredients.

I cut the onion, capsicum, zucchini, mushrooms and apricots into strips and then stir fried the meat in the coconut aminos and a spoonful of coconut oil.

Once the meat browned off I set it aside, and stir fried the vegetables and apricots in the same oil.  I added the salt and some coriander to this and kept the vegetables on the heat for a few minutes.

Whilst the vegetables finished cooking, I cut the lettuce, tomatoes and avocados into strips, since these did not require cooking.

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When the vegetables were ready, I assembled all of the ingredients on one edge of the nori sheets, and rolled them until they resembled (paleo!) sushi rolls.

I was pleased with this impromptu dinner and will add it to my list of good foods to make for on the go!  I think these would store fine in the fridge overnight, so would be another good option for work lunches – or even as a grab and go breakfast.  I really liked the contrast of the seaweed taste with the sweetness of the apricot.  I think next time I'll use fish instead of turkey and beef to full embrace a sea theme for this dish – and to get in a bit more iodine!

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I've not checked yet, but hopefully if I incorporate Nori a few times a week, I won't have to worry about iodine deficiency.

I'd be very interested to hear your thoughts on Iodine intake and deficiency, is this something you actively address in your diet?

Paleo iodine wraps nori-min

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11 replies
    • Suz
      Suz says:

      Yes, do. It’s different to Soy, but seems to be a great alternative. I’ve been using it a lot lately to marinate meat in (which I might have previously used Soy for – in a former life) and it works well.

      Reply
  1. Ruth
    Ruth says:

    Hi Suz, I was wondering if your craving for salty foods might be related to your diet. When carbs are restricted, which of course they are on paleo, the kidneys excrete more sodium. Just a thought.

    Reply
    • Suz
      Suz says:

      That’s a really interesting thought Ruth, I certainly did notice that when I first went low-carb. Definitely worth experimenting with.

      Reply
  2. GiGi Eats Celebrities
    GiGi Eats Celebrities says:

    I make wraps like this NIGHTLY filled with spaghetti squash, green beans, spinach and salmon or eel or salmon skin or Chilean Sea Bass or Hamachi! YUM! I could go for more!! I really love eating with my hands! LOL! Oh and I season these “wraps” with Kelp Seasonings made by Bragg!

    Reply
  3. Robin (NZ)
    Robin (NZ) says:

    I come across all sorts of info and most times can’t remember where, darn! Anyway, I remember reading somewhere that nori has diminished iodine because of its prep and overall surface area. Wakame was a better source.
    Just googled and found this: http://thyroid.blogspot.co.nz/2004/11/seaweeds-are-usually-considered-high.html
    Then, googling the referenced article, I found this: http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iodine-HealthProfessional/
    So much to learn in so little time …
    Hubby and I have been wheat-free & pretty much grain-free for about 5mths now and doing well. He sent me a link this morning for this site so I signed up. Yay! You’re right next door so that’s nice. Since eliminating wheat, he’s back to the weight he was in his 20s (now 56, including most of his ‘man boobs’, feels more energetic, less joint pain.
    In our grain-free travels, I discovered Mark’s Daily Apple as well. What led to all this was finding & reading a book called “Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight” by Dr William Davis, a preventative cardiologist. And I can’t remember how I came across it. Lots of problems with the proteins in wheat, in particular.
    Onwards we go then.

    Reply
  4. Lisa
    Lisa says:

    Hi. Just wondering is there a particular brand of nori that you can recommend? I’ve just been getting one from Coles but wasn’t sure if there’s a better branded one around (organic?) one out there that I am yet to come across? Thanks

    Reply
  5. Kiah
    Kiah says:

    Hi, I am relativley new to the Paleo Lifestyle and am trying to explore some different lunch options. I have had nori rolls in my cupboard for a while now but never sure what to put in them, I super excited to try out some of these combinations. I mostly wanted to aks though, where do you buy Coconut Aminos from in Australia? I live very remote and do not have a health food store or anything like it so was hoping someone could suggest an online option? everywhere I have tried is from overseas and doesnt seem to ship to Australia…

    Reply

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