I would first like to say that I’m so excited to be able to contribute to The Clean Eating Club! I read this blog regularly and I’m just tickled to be a part of it. Thanks Jennifer and Jennifer!
Photo Credit: Tiffany McCauley
Sushi has a reputation for being hard to make. And while certain aspects of it can be a little time consuming, it’s actually pretty simple to put together.
If you’ll forgive the irreverence, I tend to look at sushi more like a burrito. Because when you do that, it takes all the mystery out of making it. I certainly don’t mean to diminish the art of sushi making in any way, but for the average home cook, it’s just easier to approach it from that perspective. And I’m all about easy recipes!
The trick with sushi is to make your rice sticky, and use leftovers from other meals. Simply cook your brown rice with an extra cup of water (1 more than the directions on the package), and use anything you have in the fridge that will go with soy or tamari sauce.
I had sesame chicken and some spinach from dinner two nights ago. So I simply added to that. If you use ingredients you already have in the fridge, it will cut down on your prep time considerably. In fact, what will usually take you a couple of hours to make from scratch will now become a quick, 30 minute meal at the most!
Here’s the recipe:
Clean Eating Sushi
(Makes 4 rolls)
Ingredients:
- 1 carrot shredded
- 2 cups fresh spinach – cooked (about 1/2 cup)
- 2 chicken breasts
- 2 eggs scrambled (whole or whites)
- 3 cups cooked brown rice (sticky is best)
- 1 tbsp. white balsamic vinegar or rice wine vinegar
- 2 tsp. agave
- 4 large sheets of Nori
- Toasted sesame seeds (optional)
Directions:
Photo Credit: Tiffany McCauley
Step 1 – Lay out your Nori on a flat and stable work surface.
Step 2 – Mix your agave and vinegar in a small bowl, then pour over your rice and mix well.
Step 3 – Spread your rice in a thin layer, being sure to leave at least a 1/4 inch of rice-free borders.
Step 4 – If using sesame seeds, sprinkle liberally over the rice.
Step 5 – Pile your other fillings (chicken, eggs and veggies) at the very front of your Nori strips, piled together in a single row. It should equal no more than a quarter of the space on your Nori.
Step 6 – Roll your sushi, being careful to keep the role fairly tight, but not so tight that you rip the Nori. Making one roll will give you the feel for it.
Step 7 – Seal the edge by dipping your finger in water and running it across the open edge of the nori. This will make the edge sticky enough to keep the roll from unraveling.
Step 8 – If you are serving others, simply slice with a sharp knife and serve. However, if you will be eating this yourself, sushi becomes very portable if you don’t slice it. Simply eat it like a burrito!
Note: The trick to Sushi is keeping your rice layer thin and adding very small amounts of any other ingredients. Nori will not withstand the pressure of big quantities of ingredients.
Eat and Enjoy!
About the author:
Tiffany McCauley publishes the blog TheGraciousPantry.com. A web site for clean eating recipes.
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