Sushi. It’s taking over our world! Personally, I love it. But… the store bought stuff is almost always high in fat, processed ingredients and salt. So what I LOVE to do is make my own! It is really simple. You can put your favourite flavour combinations inside, plus… you know that everything going in it is good for you. This is why I load mine with fresh, raw vegetables and the superfood rightfully claiming new-found fame: quinoa!
Quinoa is amazing. If you haven’t tried it yet, perhaps because you are one of those who cannot pronounce it (it’s keen-wah people!), well… you just must. It is fluffy, flavoursome, has an incredibly light, chewy texture, plus… it is completely packed with health benefits. It’s naturally gluten free. It is super high in fibre. It’s loaded with protein, containing all of the essential amino acids. It’s low GI. It boasts amazing minerals such as magnesium, potassium and zinc. It’s high in antioxidants. AND… you can replace it for rice in just about anything! Now, I don’t have a problem with rice (my diet incorporates lots of brown rice). But to me, white rice is quite flavourless and unsatisfying. I much prefer a brown grain that tastes nutty and delicious, whilst nourishing my body to the max!
Just follow this very basic recipe below to get you started, but really you can chop and change the filling ingredients as much as you like! I’m just a sucker for veggies. Some of my other favourite fillings to include are avocado, pumpkin and tofu. Just put in your favourites and you can’t really go wrong!
Now, the slightly tricky part of the otherwise easy recipe… rolling your sushi. It just takes practice. All you need is a little bamboo rolling mat (stocked in most supermarkets in the Asian section). If you have absolutely no idea what you’re doing, watch a YouTube video! My tips are to make sure you’re ingredients are evenly spaced and when rolling it up: take your time making sure it’s a tight roll. Really squeeze it all together! Once you are finished rolling, dip your finger in water and run it along the edge of the seaweed where it meets the roll. It simply glues it all together.
Cut it up with a sharp, wet knife. Serve with sesame seeds, tamari sauce (salt-reduced soy sauce: much better for you!) and wasabi if you can handle it… I most definitely cannot. Enjoy this colourful, healthy meal for lunch, a snack or dinner, completely guilt-free!
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup quinoa (you can use white, black, red or a variety)
- Pinch pink himalayan sea salt
- 1 tbsp coconut vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
- Nori (seaweed) paper
- A mixture of vegetables (I used 1 carrot (julienned), 1/2 red capsicum (julienned), handful bean sprouts and some chopped red cabbage)
- Tamari sauce and sesame seeds to serve
METHOD
- Rinse the quinoa thoroughly using a colander. It can sometimes taste bitter if not rinsed properly.
- Place in saucepan with 1 cup of water and season with a pinch of himalayan sea salt.
- Bring to boil uncovered. Once boiling, reduce to simmer, cover and cook on low for around 15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed.
- Take off the heat, stir and fluff it up with a fork whilst adding the vinegar.
- Leave to cool whilst you prepare and cut up your vegetables for the filling.
- You are ready to assemble! Lay a nori sheet on top of your bamboo roller. Place about 4 heaped spoonfuls of quinoa along the length of the nori sheet and flatten with spoon. Lay out vegetables over the top and use your best rolling skills to create a tight, neat sushi roll! Seal the edge with a little water as glue.
- Use a wet knife to chop up into 2-3 cm chunks. Serve with tamari, sesame seeds and pickled ginger or wasabi if you like!
Naturally Tess 