Common diet mistakes: Getting healthy "Not-to-do's"

What began almost two thousand years ago as a fermenting process to preserve fish in China and later in Japan, has totally transformed to become a favored finger food for many Westerners today.

I’m talking about Makizushi, aka sushi rolls.

The Japanese were pretty brilliant.  They created a delicious food packed with flavor in every bite.  Better yet, the traditional rolls are quite healthy!  The combination of seaweed, rice, and raw fish yields a naturally low fat, high protein meal loaded with vitamins and minerals.  Unfortunately, the addition of cream cheese, spicy mayo, and avocado commonly found in Western versions alter this ratio quite a bit.  Sometimes simpler is better.

It is pretty safe to say that I could eat sushi any time, any day.  I. Love. It.  With any food obsession it’s always best to learn how to make it at home, right?  Ok, that might be dangerous, but it’s a great way to save money and tailor the dish to your taste buds.

Quinoa Can Be a Substitute for Rice

Making sushi at home is surprisingly easy!  All it takes is a piece or two of Nori (roasted seaweed) and some creativity.  The sky is the limit for flavor combinations!  I like to try out different themes- Mediterranean, Italian, etc.  I have yet to explore Mexican, not sure how that would pan out…

With sushi on my mind, I decided to whip up a few rolls for dinner using the ingredients found in the fridge.  My roommate and I agreed that the following were pretty darn tasty:

Roll #1:  Goat Cheese, Lox, Quinoa, Steamed Kale, Sprouts, and Roasted Sweet Potato
Roll #2: Hummus, Kalamata Olives, Quinoa, Sprouts, Steamed Kale, and just a sprinkling of Feta Cheese (roasted red pepper would be a delicious addition)

*The quinoa was a nice substitution for rice.  Not only did the grain add a bit more flavor, but also more nutrients (protein, iron, calcium, magnesium, B vitamins, and fiber).

A few sushi tips:

A bamboo rolling mat isn’t necessary.  I find that if I pack all of the fillings onto half of the Nori sheet I can roll it easily, the more fillings the better.  It is also good to wet your hands before and possibly during the rolling process.  The water acts as a paste and helps bind the seaweed. ***I don’t recommend working with raw fish unless you are super familiar with it.  I am not, so if I’m in the fish mood, I pick up some lox (smoked salmon).  Does the trick!

Sushi really is fun, quick and easy to make.  What’s your favorite sushi roll?  Have you created any delicious combinations? I would love to hear from you.  Until then, happy rolling.