Homemade Sushi: It's Easier Than You Think!

Like many others, I'm a fan of sushi. This exotic fare can be a nutritional superstar if you choose brown rice over white,

load up on the veggies, and steer clear of the fried options. Also, the nori (seaweed sheets) used to make sushi is something that most of us westerners don't eat regularly and is full of nutrients including vitamins A and C, potassium, iodine, and iron. However, I never thought about trying to make it myself, until now. I'm always telling people to get in the kitchen and try something new, but I must admit, I was a little unsure about how this would turn out. Inspired by a post on 100 Days of Real Food (possibly my favorite food blog), I decided to move out of my comfort zone, get a little adventurous, and make my own.

Guess what? It was so easy! Not to mention lots of fun. My roommates were pretty impressed too. I think my technique could probably use a little improvement, but no matter how they look, your rolls are still gonna taste delicious! Plus, this is a much more economical way to get your sushi fix.

In my rolls, I used brown rice, cucumber, carrots, avocado, and shrimp. I also sprinkled some sesame seeds on the rice. I opted to have the rice on the outside of my rolls. I did try one with it on the inside, but I found that this made it a lot harder to roll up and keep closed because the rice took up extra space inside the roll. If you're using shrimp, another great tip is to straighten them out on skewers when you cook them to make them easier to cut into matchsticks. For dipping, you can use soy sauce or tamari. Tamari is similar to soy sauce, but is 100% soy while soy sauce is soy and wheat. This makes tamari a great option for people who are gluten free due to an intolerance or Celiac's disease. No matter which you choose, make sure to pick a low sodium version and organic if you can find it (soy is often a GMO crop).

For the instructions I used, click here.

Try it out and let me know how it goes! I'd love to hear about your successes as well as any problems or questions. Also, get creative! Don't let yourself get stuck in the mindset the traditional sushi offerings. Have a favorite dish? Try to see if you can recreate it in the form of a sushi roll.

Are you a sushi fan too? Have you ever tried to make it at home?