© 2015 Tsunami Sushi & Hibachi Grill. First let me say that what follows is not traditional sushi. Perhaps I shouldn’t even call it that. For those purists out there who think that you have to use white sushi rice in order to make sushi, I officially rename this meal Interesting Stuff Wrapped in Seaweed. But for brevity’s sake, I will refer to it here as Sushi. Last night I made 5 different combinations of vegetable sushi, 4 with brown rice and 1 with no rice at all (especially for those of you following a low-grain or low-carb diet). I’ve been hesitant to use brown rice in sushi because I thought it would be hard to work with and not taste good, but I have to say that I think I’ve hit on the secret for delicious brown rice sushi: Lundberg Short-Grain brown rice. It may not look as pretty as traditional sushi rice, but we hardly noticed the difference as we were devouring these vegetable rolls last night. To make the rice, I used more water than the Lundberg package suggests, at least a cup more.

I started off 1 cup of rice in my rice cooker with the suggested 2 cups water, but when it was finished cooking and still not “sticky” enough for sushi, I added more water, hit the “cook” button, checked it when it shut off a second time, added more water, and just let it cook on the “warm” setting. The result was less sticky than sushi rice, but very workable. I removed it to a bowl to cool and added about 1/4 cup of sushi rice vinegar and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds. I won’t bother to tell you how to roll sushi. I’ve tried to describe it elsewhere, and there are some great on-line tutorials, with photos, so if you don’t already know the technique, it’s easy to learn it. I will describe the various fillings (from left to right) : 1) baked tofu and red bell pepper 2) roasted asparagus and toasted pinenuts ( 1 pound asparagus tossed with 2 tbsp. soy sauce and 1/2 tsp. sesame oil, roasted at 400 F for about 6 minutes, turning once) 4) everything (all of the above)

and the low-carb version I promised you: That’s fresh baby spinach used instead of rice with tofu, pepper, asparagus, and avocado filling. (This is very light, like eating your salad wrapped in nori.) Along with the sushi we had the remaining roasted asparagus (I roasted a whole bunch, and it was incredibly good), the remaining avocado, and some boiled edamame. It was a great meal, but the kitchen was a disaster afterward! I think I’ll save my sushi-making for the weekend from now on. These clever Rice-free Nori Rolls are my new lunchtime staple. Made with a healthy helping of greens they are grain-free, nut-free and gluten-free too. As for the filling ideas, here are three of my favourite suggestions below. It’s such a cliché to act all surprised at the end of November that the year is almost gone, but 2013 has been swift, even the kids think so and that says a lot! We’ve sure had a busy one with this exciting event, buying a house and various work projects we both had been involved in.

Now, exactly a month from today we will be watching the cricket , eating leftovers and reminiscing with family and friends about the year just gone by. And just as eagerly we’ll all be dreaming up plans for the new year ahead. But before that time is upon us, I thought I’d share this quick recipe that’s great for getting a nutritious feed during the busiest 30 days of the year. And, it’s actually quite easy to do. So, how does this Rice-free (Paleo and grain-free) Nori Roll work?order sushi jakarta Almost exactly a year ago, I posted this ever so-obvious-yet-clever Quinoa Sushi Roll recipe, because I have never been a big fan of rice. watch sushi pack episode 1The recipe is great if you have some spare cooked quinoa lying around in your fridge, which in itself is not that bad of an idea, or if you have time to cook it. where to buy sushi grade uni

But being a busy homemaker, home-front construction project manager, blogger, writer, photographer, school-picker-upper and so forth, I don’t always have a spare half an hour to follow this step. Instead, I layer my nori sheet with one or two lettuce leaves. They can hold the fillings in well in case the nori sheet breaks. Then simply dot with the toppings, wrap, roll up and enjoy while the seaweed is still crunchy! What’s not to love? As for the filling ideas…sushi las condes providencia I let my sushi filling imagination run wild but do include loads of greens for maximum health benefit. jiro dreams of sushi durationExact ingredients and measurements can be found in the recipe card below, but here is what I’m liking at the moment.jiro dreams of sushi song

Sauerkraut is one of my current favourite toppings because it’s great for good gut health – it is the perfect probiotic source for vegans and those allergic to dairy. Egg omellette is a classic protein-rich and obvious choice, but when cooked with a handful of sprouts mixed in, it can not only prevent them from falling out of the roll but also delivers some great health benefits from them.  I also like the idea of a quick barbecue chicken roll with a salad of avocado and raw sliced broccoli – again, with the focus on greens. sushi restaurant online spielenOr even leftover cooked fish or mince – something like Chilli Con Carne, would also be fab! Oh, and one more thing. I just wanted to say welcome to all of the new subscribers – thanks for choosing to stick around. Please feel free to make Wholesome Cook your home of culinary inspiration. And do share your thoughts, tell us all what you are cooking, share photos of Facebook or Instagram of the blog dishes you’ve made.

Or tell us how you would put your own little twist on some of the recipes. Let’s give this space a community feel. Now and in 2014. 3 Print 10 mins 5 mins 15 mins 1 1 sheet Nori seaweed 1-2 small cos lettuce leaves soy sauce or tamari, to serve ¼ cup packet slaw mix, undressed ¼ cup tuna in olive oil, drained and mashed small handful of sauerkraut 1 sprig coriander or parsley chilli powder or pepper, to taste 1 egg, free-range or organic preferred 1 tablespoon mung bean sprouts 2 tablespoons crumbled feta, I like sheep's milk (or tuna or smoked salmon) ⅓ cup shredded barbecue chicken, free-range or organic preferred ½ cup broccoli florets, sliced ¼ avocado, diced chilli powder or pepper, to taste Lay Nori sheets flat on a cutting board and place 1-2 small cos lettuce leaves alongside the edge closest to you. Top the leaves with your choice of fillings then using a knife press the ingredients down as you fold over the edge closest to you. Wrap snugly toward the edge furthest away.