Brown Rice Sushi For Lucy

For me actually but that title rhymes. And my friend Lucy requested this.

I’m no sushi expert. Believe it or not, living in Japan doesn’t automatically make you one. Though I will say, here, sushi means raw fish on a little thingy of rice with a layer of wasabi in between only. Not this. This is maki sushi, I believe.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups uncooked short-grain brown rice
2 cups water
1 tbsp rice vinegar
pinch sea salt
nori (seaweed) sheets
your favorite fillings cut in strips (I used raw salmon, orange capsicum, lettuce and avocado)
a rolling mat

Rinse and drain rice, place into a saucepan and pour in water.

Let soak for as long as possible but if you don’t have the time, 30min is fine.

Cook rice over medium heat until done? Sorry not sure how else to put it..follow packet instructions? Or taste some to check.. you may need to top up the water once or twice (about 35 min).

Let rice cool until warm then mix in the vinegar and salt. Rice should be slightly sticky now.

To roll the sushi, lay a sheet of nori, rough side up, on your rolling mat. With wet fingers (I find its also useful to have a damp towel nearby), firmly pat a thick, even layer of brown rice over the nori, leaving  top edge about 1/2-inch deep uncovered with rice.

Assemble your fillings in a line along the bottom edge of the sheet.

Now we’re ready to roll (both literally and figuratively) so fold the bottom edge of the sheet up, enclosing the vegetables, and roll roll roll your mat? If you didn’t F up, you should have a thick cylinder thing by now.

Here I gently wrap the mat around the roll and squeeze it not-so-gently one more time – for good luck’s sake.

This recipe should make 3 rolls. Cut each roll into 6 pieces for serving.

To make a California roll, that’s the one with the rice on the outside, do what I did and watch this video.

Or look at someone else’s blog who has step by step pictures and accurate cooking instructions. Sigh, I can’t even today.

Date ball recipe here. Tiny cherry tomatoes from my neighbor’s backyard. Gifted, not stolen. Maybe.

Best Of Christchurch

This will be an ongoing series. I have another 8 days.

Top to bottom:
Homemade granola with Clearwaters organic fat-free yoghurt, ViBERi freeze-dried blackcurrants and fresh fruit from the Christchurch Farmers Market. Mouthwatering felafel souvlaki from Dimitris, walk up Rapaki track with my great friend and ex personal trainer, Wally, and last but never least, wholesome bread from Vic’s Cafe  served with my infamous guacamole. 

No Milk? No Problem!

I ran out of “milk” so I used water instead. The result? Mouthwatering! (See what I did there?)

1/2 cup frozen blackcurrants
1 banana
2 strawberries
2 canned pineapple rings
3/4 cup filtered water

Simply blend everything together in a food processor or blender then top with favourites.

Cake By The Mountain

Cake by the mountain. Amongst other things. Like little hands and big hearts. And Homemade pizza (Anthony I’m thinking of you!) and delicious soups and fresh salads (not pictured) and organic dates from the holiest of Holy Lands (Israel).

Today Is The Day

My parents arrive TONIGHT! In Japan for their first time! YAY! Naturally, as Anisa does, I spent last night baking for them. I baked my “Bluberry and Lemon Yoghurt Loaf” into muffins using raspberries in place of the little blue babies. And, I made my “Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes” into a loaf, with the addition of macadamia nuts mixed both through the batter and sprinkled on top of the thing. Also, at one point I had a mini, okay major, panic attack because I’d so obviously overfilled my muffin tray and visual evidence clearly indicated that they were destined to merge into one giant cookie, which on second thoughts wouldnt be that bad a thing (hehe) but thank heavens for the brilliant invention of the silicon tray cos I managed to get them out just fine and look at that.. now they’re sporting, perhaps the sexiest muffin-tops I’ve ever seen ;)

SIX Breakfasts To Keep You Full An Entire Day

Yipee! I have officially completed my first day of the fast and currently eating everything. Just kidding! Not really… Seriously though, it wasn’t that bad and I reckon it’s because I had a really good breakfast. So, without further adieu, the following are my top 5 breakfasts to keep you full an entire day, fasting or not, either way.

1. Bircher muesli (Oats are probably the most filling breakfast food ever. Top with raw nuts and fresh fruit for extra oomph! If you’re feeling adventurous, try my peanut butter and banana variety, HERE.)

2. Chocolate chia-seed pudding (Excuse me while I drool into my keyboard…but in all seriousness, this breakfast is super nutritious and super filling because both chia seeds and raw cacao are incredible SUPERfoods (see what I did there?). Alternatively, for a simple chia pudding, click HERE.

3. A Persian breakfast (Good bread, walnuts for omega 3, good-fat vegetables like avocado, healing herbs like mint and basil and good quality cheese ok maybe not the cheese but shhh! What else could your tumtum wish for?!) Watermelon! Yes, it could wish for watermelon.


4. Banana and blueberry baked oats (Oats, eggs, walnuts, bananas and if you can, blackcurrants over blueberries but all in all, allllllll good!)

5. Black rice pudding (There’s a reason black rice or “forbidden rice” was solely reserved for the emperor back in the day. Tis good shizz. Combine with plant-based “milk”, raw nuts and/or seeds and fresh fruit and I guarantee you’ll stay full). Don’t like black? Rather brown? Das cool, das cool. It’s ok to think like that when it comes to food. Click HERE for a brown rice pudding recipe.
6. Savory oats (a high fiber oatmeal packed with extra protein: a free-range egg, healthy fats: avocado and sunflower seeds, and lots of metabolism kicking chili!)