Sushi Dinner

Veggie Sushi

Ingredients

2 cups cooked brown rice

1 Tbs rice vinegar

1/2 tsp agave nectar

1/2 tsp sea salt

2 nori sheets

1/2 avocado-sliced

1/2 red pepper-sliced

2 Tbs sesame seeds

Makes 2 rolls=12 pieces

Directions

1. Mix rice vinegar, agave nectar, & salt together

2. When the brown rice is done cooking add the vinegar mixture & mix

3. Spread rice on a baking sheet with a damp paper towel on top to allow to cool & stay moist

4. Lay sushi mat so that the wooden sticks are positioned horizontally & place a sheet of nori on top

5. Spread a thin layer of rice on top of nori leaving a 1/2 inch border & sprinkle sesame seeds on top

6. Place plastic wrap on top of the rice and lightly press to ensure the rice is secure

7. Flip the nori sheet over on the mat, so that the rice is on the bottom

8. Place the red pepper and the avocado slices horizontally on the nori sheet

9. Start to roll the nori sheet firmly compressing as you roll, and pull out the plastic wrap as you roll

10. With a damp sharp knife, cut the sushi roll in half, and each half into thirds-repeat with second roll

11. Refrigerate until ready to serve-only good for 24 hours

Simmered Shiitake Mushrooms

Adapted from Vegetarian Times

Ingredients

1 oz dried shiitake mushrooms

1 inch of ginger-sliced

1 Tbs mirin

1 tsp brown sugar

1 Tbs soy sauce

Directions

1. Place boiling water over dried mushrooms in a bowl and cover with a plate for 30 minutes

2. Drain mushrooms, reserving 1 cup of soaking liquid

3. Place mushrooms, soaking liquid, ginger, mirin, & brown sugar in a pan and bring to a boil

4. Lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes

5. Add soy sauce and simmer for 10 more minutes

Spicy Tofu

Adapted from Vegetarian Times

Ingredients

1 pkg firm tofu-cut into 1/4 inch cubes

1 1/2 Tbs soy sauce

1 Tbs Sriracha

1 Tbs rice vinegar

1/2 Tbs maple syrup-grade B

1 tsp sesame oil

2 green onions-thinly sliced

1 Tbs vegonaise

Directions

1. Cook tofu in nonstick pan over medium high heat for 10-12 minutes until golden

2. Stir soy sauce, sriracha, vinegar, maple syrup, sesame oil, & 1 Tbs of water together

3. Add to the cooked tofu and cook for 2-3 minutes

4. Remove from heat & add green onions and mayo

I was inspired to make this dinner after reading my Vegetarian Times' section on hosting a sushi party. I had never made sushi because I thought it was too intimidating, but I came to find out it was super easy! I thought the rolling part would be hard, but if you don't overstuff the roll (like I did) it is much easier. I didn't serve the sushi with the typical wasabi because Eric and I used to be big wasabi fans, but we overdid it and now we pass on it. Eric actually used sriracha sauce as his spice, which is too hot for me so I opted for soy sauce. The funny thing is that I actually never liked raw fish in my sushi even when I did eat meat. With this recipe you don't have to worry about getting sick from raw fish & it's cheaper:) You can play around with the veggies that you fill the roll with. I just recommend using veggies with different colors, so that it is appealing. I also decided to use brown rice to bump up the nutrition factor. I also prefer to have my rice on the outside of the roll because I am not a huge fan on nori. This way you first bite into sweet rice rather than a fishy paper.

Eric and I couldn't decide what we liked better, the spicy tofu or the shiitake mushrooms. They were amazing!! I am going to be making these again! I also loved the spicy sauce on the tofu because I made some more the next day and added it to some leftover pasta and it was awesome! The mushrooms had such a great flavor! I was surprised how well the dried mushrooms turned out. That was my first time using dried mushrooms, so now I won't have to worry about the flavor being compromised.

It's also fun to use traditional Asian dishes and chopsticks! It makes it feel more special and I prefer the woodiness of the chopsticks compared to the metallic taste of traditional silverware.