HOW TO USE NORI... Mention nori or seaweed and most people think of sushi (or the fried greens you get in Chinese restaurants - this is NOT seaweed). Seaweed is part of most Japanese meals. Here are a few ideas to get you started, the only limit is your imagination.

FUTO MAKI - Big Sushi Rolls... Maki Rolls give you the opportunity to do some real 'fusion' cooking. You can use whatever you like as a filling, whether it is seafood, vegetables, meat etc etc... Click on the picture for the basics.

TEMAKI SERADA - Hand Rolled Salad... This is a super healthy alternative to heavy 'wraps'. You are replacing the bread with a sheet of nori! Click the picture for some tips

NORI AND PASTA... Nori is great with pasta, especially seafood pasta. Forget parmesan, use crumbled nori for extra flavour - it looks and tastes great. Even simpler, use Mentaiko (marinated roe) flavoured nori on fresh cooked pasta.

NORI CANAPES - Once again, it is down to you how you want to do this. Put nori on blinis, french toast with whatever topping you like. Or just serve nori strips as snacks with drinks!

NORI AND HEALTH... Nori is a genuine superfood. Long before the vitamins, minerals and fibre were understood, the Japanese saw nori as a natural, healthy part of their diet.

Today nori is seen as a precious source of vitamins and minerals. It has virtually no calories and is high in dietary fibre.

Nori is high in vitamins, containing six times the vitamins A, B1, B2 and C of spinach (click image above for details).

Sixteen essential minerals including iron, iodine and calcium are present in nori, making it one of richest sources of minerals for the body.

Nori is a geat source of essential dietary fibre and for those who are seeking to control calories in a healthy diet, nori is almost calorie free, making it a super and simple option when planning meals.

HEALTH BENEFITS range from assisting the body recover from fatigue, to improving skin and hair conditions. It is great for the digestive system, and reducing cholesterol. Recent studies suggest that nori prevent dementia as well. Is it any suprise that Japan has one of the worlds highest longevity!