Sushi rolls with marinated tofu recipe

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).