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3
Servings
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Prep Time 25'
PT25M -
Total Time 35'
PT35M -
Gluten-free
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Vegan
Tofu sushi
Sushi was dreamed up in southeast Asia as a way to preserve fish. It was only until later that the fermented rice around the fish was eaten rather than discarded. Still later, the lacto-fermentation process that was used on the rice was replaced with rice vinegar. The word sushi means ‘vinegared rice’. Although sushi travelled from southeastern Asia to China before landing in Japan, it is with this country that it is most often identified. That is to say, how far sushi has come since then!
The key to this easy, refreshing vegan sushi recipe is the marinade. With just three ingredients, you get both umami and sweet elements as well as some serious health benefits in your tofu sushi – more on this later. Try and marinate more tofu than you need for the sushi, and use it to top a salad or in a sandwich filler along with sliced avocado, grated carrots, and vegan mayonnaise.
Get creative with your vegan sushi!
You could try experimenting with vegan cream cheese in your tofu sushi too. It sounds unusual, but it’s really not a huge leap from these sushi rolls with cream cheese and fish eggs that you see in many shops. We also love topping sushi with toasted sesame seeds, which provide nutritional benefits as well as crunch. Or you could add Japanese pickles for some serious flavour, not to mention fermented goodness that your gut will love. You could also tell yourself you’re paying homage to the origins of sushi.
We haven’t specified brown sushi rice here, but using it would provide you with more nutrients and fibre. And don’t forget your ginger and wasabi! But whatever you add and put in, these rolls are perfect as a quick, satisfying, and healthy work lunch.
Tamari vs. soy sauce
You may see Tamari popping up on recipes or on store shelves. A lot of us are jumping on the bandwagon, and for good reason. Tamari and soy sauce are quite different but can be used almost interchangeably to add a savory, umami flavor to your dishes. While soy sauce is traditionally Chinese, Tamari is Japanese. It’s a byproduct of soybeans that is thicker, less salty and contains less gluten (or zero gluten) than soy sauce.
Wait a minute, isn’t soy sauce made from soybeans? The name definitely gives it away. Yes, both are derived from fermented soybeans but the process and by-products of the two are different. We will not get into the nitty-gritty, but the more important thing to know is that Tamari contains little to zero wheat. Even if you are not gluten intolerant, try swapping out soy sauce for Tamari, pick and choose to your own preference (1).
Hemp seed oil benefits
Our hemp seed oil comes from cold pressed organic hemp seeds and is rich in omega-6 and omega-3 essential fatty acids, as well as vitamin D.
Since our body doesn’t naturally produce the essential fatty acids found in hemp seed oil, we must obtain them from our diet. The oil derived from the hemp seed is one of the most unsaturated oils out of all plants, with 75-80% being polyunsaturated fatty acids. Most health organizations agree that the human body needs a 4:1 or lower ratio of omega-6 to omega-3. Hemp seed oil provides a 3:1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3, which means it is a great source of support for a healthy heart and brain.
The fatty acids in hemp seed oil can also nourish hair follicle and scalp (3,4) and protect the skin. Fatty acids work to keep our skin lipids healthy. Lipids are oils that constitute our skin’s protective barrier function, softening and providing elasticity. The main barrier of our skin is located in the outermost layer known as the stratum corneum. This region consists of corneocytes and the surrounding lipid region. Corneocytes, which compose most of the stratum corneum get regularly replaced through the shedding of the skin membrane and renewal from lower epidermal layers. If these bilayers of our skin are not functioning correctly, the skin becomes more susceptible to irritation, dryness and other skin conditions (5,6).
AppetizersIngredients
Marinated tofu ⅓ pack of tofu 1 tbsp maple syrup 2 tbsp Tamari sauce 2 tsp Erbology Organic Cold Pressed Hemp Seed Oil Sushi rice 1 cup sushi rice 2 tbsp rice vinegar (if you don’t have rice vinegar, substitute with 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp sweetener of your choice and small pinch of salt) Sushi rolls 1 quarter red pepper 3 small radishes 2 cucumbers 3 fresh salad leaves or fresh baby spinach 3 nori sheetsMarinated tofu
- ⅓ pack of tofu
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp Tamari sauce
- 2 tsp Erbology Organic Cold Pressed Hemp Seed Oil
Sushi rice
- 1 cup sushi rice
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar (if you don’t have rice vinegar, substitute with 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp sweetener of your choice and small pinch of salt)
Sushi rolls
- 1 quarter red pepper
- 3 small radishes
- 2 cucumbers
- 3 fresh salad leaves or fresh baby spinach
- 3 nori sheets
Sushi rolls with marinated tofu recipe
Ingredients
Marinated tofu
- ⅓ pack of tofu
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp Tamari sauce
- 2 tsp Erbology Organic Cold Pressed Hemp Seed Oil
Sushi rice
- 1 cup sushi rice
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar (if you don’t have rice vinegar, substitute with 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp sweetener of your choice and small pinch of salt)
Sushi rolls
- 1 quarter red pepper
- 3 small radishes
- 2 cucumbers
- 3 fresh salad leaves or fresh baby spinach
- 3 nori sheets
Here's how you make it
- First, cook the rice by using a 1 ½ : 1 ratio of water to rice. Cook in a rice cooker for 15 minutes or on the stove over medium heat with the lid on.
- While the rice is cooking, marinate the sliced tofu by mixing it gently with Tamari sauce, maple syrup and Erbology Organic Hemp Seed Oil. Leave aside for about 10-15 minutes.
- Julienne all the veggies and put aside.
- Once the rice is ready, spread it on a tray to cool it down quickly.
- When it’s nearly cool, add the rice vinegar and mix very well. Put aside.
- To make a sushi roll, place a nori sheet on a bamboo sushi mat and gently spread cooked sushi rice. Use your fingers to evenly spread the rice. To prevent rice sticking to your hands, first wet your hands with cold water.
- Add a small amount (one row) of every veggie and 2-3 slices of marinated tofu. Roll the bamboo mat over the sushi roll, pressing firmly, to make a more compact roll.
- Cut each roll into seven pieces. Serve with Tamari sauce and enjoy!
Here's how you make it
- First, cook the rice by using a 1 ½ : 1 ratio of water to rice. Cook in a rice cooker for 15 minutes or on the stove over medium heat with the lid on.
- While the rice is cooking, marinate the sliced tofu by mixing it gently with Tamari sauce, maple syrup and Erbology Organic Hemp Seed Oil. Leave aside for about 10-15 minutes.
- Julienne all the veggies and put aside.
- Once the rice is ready, spread it on a tray to cool it down quickly.
- When it’s nearly cool, add the rice vinegar and mix very well. Put aside.
- To make a sushi roll, place a nori sheet on a bamboo sushi mat and gently spread cooked sushi rice. Use your fingers to evenly spread the rice. To prevent rice sticking to your hands, first wet your hands with cold water.
- Add a small amount (one row) of every veggie and 2-3 slices of marinated tofu. Roll the bamboo mat over the sushi roll, pressing firmly, to make a more compact roll.
- Cut each roll into seven pieces. Serve with Tamari sauce and enjoy!
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References
1. Jeong, Stephanie. “What Is Tamari (vs. Soy Sauce)?” Wake the Wolves, 3 Jan. 2015.
2. Small, Ernest, and David Marcus. “Hemp: A New Crop with New Uses for North America*.” Axonopus Affinis, 2002.
3. Harvard Health Publishing. “The Truth about Fats: the Good, the Bad, and the in-between – Harvard Health.” Harvard Health Blog, Feb. 2015.
4. Simopoulos, A P. “The Importance of the Ratio of Omega-6/Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids.” Advances in Pediatrics., U.S. National Library of Medicine, Oct. 2002.
5. Miller, Samantha. “Lipid Formulas, for Dry and Sensitive Skin.” The Naked Chemist, 1 Dec. 2017.
6. Bouwstra, Joke A, and Maria Ponec. “The Skin Barrier in Healthy and Diseased State.” Egyptian Journal of Medical Human Genetics, Elsevier, 11 July 2006.
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