Brown Rice and Quinoa Sushi Rolls

I have omitted white sugar and flour from my diet and wanted to come up with a new way to make sushi, since being half Japanese, I still wanted to be able to enjoy sushi but wanted an option. I love it! Adds that extra bit of protein to make this a well-rounded light meal or snack. I like organic sugar in this recipe.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 45 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins
• Calories: 316 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• ½ cup quinoa
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 2 ⅓ cups water
• 4 sheets nori (dry seaweed)
• 1 pinch sea salt
• ½ carrot, shredded
• 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
• ⅔ cup short-grain brown rice
• 1 tablespoon mirin (Japanese sweet wine) (Optional)
• ½ cucumber, cut into thin strips
• 1 avocado - peeled, pitted, and cut into thin strips

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Rinse and drain brown rice and bring to a boil in a saucepan with water and a pinch of sea salt. Reduce heat to low, cover pan, and simmer rice for 30 minutes. Rice will not be dry.

Step 2

Meanwhile, stir rice vinegar, cider vinegar, mirin, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt in a bowl until sugar and salt have dissolved. Set the vinegar mixture aside.

Step 3

Stir quinoa into rice and cooking liquid, bring to a boil, and reduce heat to low again; simmer until rice and quinoa are both tender and liquid is absorbed, about 15 more minutes. Transfer rice and quinoa into a large bowl and gently mix the vinegar mixture into the rice, spreading the grains out a little as you mix to help dry and cool the rice and quinoa. Let rice mixture cool until warm, about 10 minutes of stirring and fanning.

Step 4

Place a nori sheet onto a sushi mat. With wet fingers, lightly press about 1/4 the rice mixture onto the nori sheet in an even layer, leaving about 1/2-inch uncovered at the top of the sheet. Place about 1/4 the shredded carrot, cucumber strips, and avocado slices in a line across the bottom of the rice.

Step 5

Pick up the edge of the bamboo rolling sheet, fold the bottom edge of the sheet up, enclosing the filling, and tightly roll the sushi into a thick cylinder. Once the sushi is rolled, wrap it in the mat and gently squeeze to compact it tightly. Unwrap the roll and cut into 6 pieces to serve; repeat with remaining ingredients to make 4 rolls.