Noodelist: The Plant-based Instant Noodles

Plant-based instant noodles? Yep. And it actually tastes good. Noodelist makes plant-based instant noodles that is also nutritious. Their noodles are made with moroheiya (also known as mulukhiya, mallow leaf and other names). This plant comes from Egypt and has a high nutritional value. According to their website, it is high in fiber, carotene, calcium, iron, vitamin B, C, and antioxidants (the noodles also contain wheat, though, so it's not gluten free). 

   

Noodelist offers a couple of flavors right now. The company is started by a Vietnamese-born Finn, so the flavors certainly skew towards the Asian palate, including the lemongrass "chicken'ish". It has a vegan "chicken" and lemongrass soup with the moroheiya noodles. It's easy to make, just put the noodles and the seasoning base in boiling / hot water for 5 minutes and cover.

   

This vegan lemongrass is surprisingly flavorful and the noodles has a nice bounce to it. Perhaps because of the moroheiya but you don't have to worry about it getting overcooked or soggy as much as regular instant noodles.

   

 The "bold & juicy shiitake" has small chunks of dried shiitake and a little bit of a kick to the broth.

   

 I'm used to the $0.50 instant noodles so Noodelist is of course more expensive, but it's definitely more nutritious and healthier. It's easy to make and is quite tasty, so I can definitely see having these handy in the pantry during lockdown1 You never know when you need a quick meal.

LA Sushi and Chirashi Takeout Boxes - A Roundup

If you've been following me over on Instagram, you may have noticed how many sushi and chirashi I've been eating as takeout. I decided to do a roundup of all the ones I've eaten so far! Here's the list and my thoughts, arranged from the lowest priced to the highest. Of course, I haven't ordered ALL the sushi takeout in LA, so I'll be updating the list as I go. 

1. Kaisendon from Iki Ramen ($19.50)

Even though the kaisendon at Iki Ramen has slightly increased in price from $18 to $19.50 it still the best deal around. They have some great quality fish, with fatty yellowtail, fresh scallops nicely topped with yuzu, blue crab, salmon, ikura and spicy tuna. It really hits the spot when you have a craving! For this fish quality, less than $20 is an amazing price.

2. Sushi Box ($28.95) and premium chirashi ($44.95) at Ootoro Sushi

I wasn't sure where to put this on this price-ranked list since we got two boxes. A cheaper sushi box and a more expensive premium chirashi box. The sushi box was inexpensive and filling, but to get my favorite cuts I would have to go with the premium chirashi box, which also contains toro, amaebi topped with uni, and the fried head of the amaebi.

3. Nozawa Trust Me at Sugarfish ($38)

Sugarfish has had a takeout box since pre-lockdown, so they've got the presentation and everything down already. Sugarfish may not be the most exciting on the list, but it hits the spot and a good value. Sugarfish is always consistent, so you know what you're in for. 

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Staying Home Means Cleaning More ...

Disclaimer: this is a sponsored post, but opinions are my own.  

Since we've all been spending a lot more time at home, I've been noticing how dirty my tables and other surfaces get. I was recently sent a bottle of SimpleCoat, which is a non-toxic multi-surface sealer. The sealer is meant to protect surfaces from stains, fingerprints and the like. The label says it's a stone and stainless steel sealer but I was told it works on many different surfaces.

 

I tried it on my outdoor stone table first, which I've been using for pretty much also my takeout food photos. You can see the unsealed left side vs. sealed on the right. With stone I think you need more of the product for a proper seal, compared to stainless steel. 

 

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