Vegetable Sushi Bowl

Rachael is probably the person least likely to go to a sushi restaurant since she hates literally all seafood - and yet, she loves going out for sushi.  She never orders fish, of course, but she loves vegetable sushi. And who wouldn't?   Rice, vegetables, soy sauce - what's not to like?  So when I saw a recipe on one of my favorite blogs for vegetable sushi bowls - basically deconstructed vegetable sushi - I knew I had to try it for her.

These bowls consist of brown rice with lots of fresh raw vegetables - like carrots, cucumber, and avocado (not to mention some cooked edamame).  To make them extra sushi-like, there are also strips of nori, which is the green seaweed that sushi is wrapped in (don't skip this in your bowl; I promise it tastes better than "seaweed" sounds, and without it you're just eating vegetables on rice.  It's not the easiest thing to cut, so I recommend using kitchen shears.  Add sesame seeds that you briefly toast, and a sauce made from fresh orange juice, soy sauce, white wine vinegar, and sesame oil... aren't you loving these bowls already?  So much fresh, healthy flavor.

We ended up having lots of people here for dinner the night I made these (and doubled it), and everyone loved them (including vegetable sushi queen Rachael!).  To make it easier to serve everyone, I mixed it all together in a big bowl and stirred it up.  I recommend doing it that way - it was pretty, and most importantly, it was tasty and healthy!

In other news.... I am mourning the loss of summer :( Back to work tomorrow.  Waaaaaah.

Recipe:

vegetable sushi bowls
from A Couple Cooks
serves 4

Ingredients:
2 cups brown rice
3 carrots
1 cucumber
1 avocado
2 green onions
sesame seeds
a few sheets of nori paper
1/2 cup edamame (frozen and thawed is okay)
3/4 cup orange juice (fresh is best)
3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons sesame oil

Instructions:

1) Make the rice according to the package instructions (or in a rice cooker).  Brown rice takes about 45 minutes.

2) Toast the sesame seeds: over low heat in a dry skillet, toast the seeds for several minutes, stirring frequently and watching closely, until lightly browned.

3) Make the dressing: in a small bowl, add orange juice, soy sauce, white wine vinegar, and sesame oil.  Whisk vigorously to combine.  Set aside.

4) Slice the nori paper into thin shreds.

5) Prepare the edamame according to the package instructions.

6) Peel and shred the carrots.  Thinly slice the green onions.  Chop the cucumber into thin strips, and the avocado into strips or chunks.

7) When ready to assemble, place rice in a bowl.  Top with vegetables, seeds, and nori.  Drizzle with dressing.