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Quinoa Sweet Potato Sushi

By Chef Linda

Sometimes I'm asked if there's anything I miss since going vegan. I used to say I missed sushi (not the fish involved, as that doesn't appeal to me for a variety of reasons), but the idea of sushi: Fresh, colorful, combinations of food rolled up in a neat little bite-sized bundle. Yes, I missed it until I realized how easy it is to make any number of combinations at home, and without any fancy tools or ingredients. I developed this recipe for Quinoa Sweet Potato Sushi as a way of exploring creative, protein-rich meals and fostering my love of rolled foods.

Nori is the edible, toasted seaweed paper that holds everything together. It's the perfect, healthy, gluten-free wrap. Sea vegetables are a mystery to some: To others, it's a way of life. Sea vegetables come in a wide variety; arame, wakame, hijiki, dulse, and kelp to name a few. Aside from the delicious taste they can impart to many dishes, sea vegetables are chock-full of nutrition and contain; calcium, iodine, magnesium, potassium, iron, and zinc, together with important trace elements such as selenium that are often lacking in land vegetables due to soil demineralization. Adding sea vegetables to your diet is a deliciously smart thing to do.

To boost the nutrition in this recipe, rice was swapped out for protein-rich quinoa. And since sushi rice is sticky and quinoa is not, so a creamy miso-almond butter spread was used as the base to keep the quinoa from escaping. Try this recipe as written, or use it to guide your own gorgeous and tasty creations using your favorite foods. The quinoa and sweet potatoes can be made in advance so you can pull this lovely dish off quickly on a hot summer night.  

Quinoa Sweet Potato Sushi

YIELDS
Makes about 24 individual pieces when cut

INGREDIENTS

 1 large sweet potato, peeled and sliced length-wise into batons

 2 tbsp olive oil

Salt

 1 cup quinoa, rinsed

 1 avocado, pitted and sliced lengthwise

 1 cup baby spinach, packed

 1 cup sprouts or micro greens

 4 nori papers

For the Miso Dressing

 2 tbsp almond butter

 2 tbsp tahini

 2 tbsp miso paste

 2 tbsp lemon juice

 Several tablespoon of water to thin

 Tamari or good soy sauce, for dipping

DIRECTIONS

1

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Arrange sweet potato batons on prepared tray. Drizzle with olive oil and toss with hands to coat. Sprinkle with salt. Bake in the oven until sweet potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

While the potatoes are roasting, set a small pot with 1 3/4 cups water on the stove. Put a good pinch of salt in. Add rinsed quinoa and set heat to medium. When water begins to boil, reduce heat and cover. Cook until water is evaporated, about 15 minutes (refer to package instructions). Remove quinoa from heat and transfer to a large plate to cool.

In a small bowl, stir together almond butter, tahini, miso, and lemon juice. Add water by the tablespoon to thin dressing to a spreadable consistency.

When quinoa and sweet potatoes have cooled enough to handle, assemble rolls by laying nori paper on a cutting board with the lines perpendicular to you. Spread dressing over entire nori paper. Sprinkle several tablespoons of quinoa over the nori. Spread evenly. Starting at the end closest to you, place 3 to 4 sweet potatoes in a row that covers the width of the nori. Top with a couple of slices of avocado. Add a small handful of spinach leaves and top with sprouts. Don’t put too much of any particular ingredient or else you will have difficulty rolling. Using gentle pressure and a firm two-handed grip, carefully roll away from you until you reach the end of the opposite side of the nori. Let sit while you complete the other rolls. When all the rolls are done, use a very sharp knife to cut rolls into 6 to 8 pieces.

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CategoryGluten Free, Main Courses, Peanut Free, StartersTags#ethnic

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