Nori and sprouts are two of my most fave things. They are both super powered foods and do wonderous things for our health. Throw in some other raw veggies and perhaps a sprouted sunflower pate and these fine goodies make love together all rolled up and tangled together.
Nori is the type of seaweed used in sushi and falls under the sea veggie category. If you have the Green Smoothie tutotrial you have likely read my cheerleading about sea veggies. Part of the reason I love’em is that, althought hey are part of the plant kingdom, sea veggies are a complete protein source (meaning they have all the essential amino acids that the body can not produce), are one of nature’s richest sources of vegetable protein (up to 38%) and rumour has it- the well sought out vitamin B12 as well. They are also high in iodine which I like ’cause it helps me with my lazy thyroid.
And now a little about nori:
- Has a mild, nutty, salty-sweet taste.
- Best when roasted before using (pre-toasted nori is sold as “sushi nori”)
- Wild nori is excellent crumbled into soups, grains, salads, pasta, and popcorn.
- Nori is 28% protein, more than sunflower seeds, lentils or wheat germ.
- Excellent source of calcium, iron, manganese, fluoride, copper, and zinc.
- Of the sea vegetables, nori is one of the highest in vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, B12 as well as vitamins A, C and E.
I’ll eat nori just plain as a snack or sometimes mash a little avocado on it. These veggie nori rolls are part of my raw food feast cooking class (which I am teaching tomorrow night to a sold out group of awesome women). They are class number two of my two-week cooking program or class number six of my six-week cooking program. My spring classes all sold out and I am currently offering a discount on registration for the fall collection of good cooking.
Nori Rolls with Ginger Sunflower Pate
Ginger Sunflower Pate
1 cup sunflower seeds, soaked overnight
1 clove garlic
1 tbs lemon juice
1 inch fresh ginger, grated
Salt or tamari, to taste
- Blend until smooth in food processor.
Topping Options
- Sprouts (any kind will do)
- avocado
- carrots, sliced long
- cucumber, sliced long
- cabbage, shredded
- cilantro
- bell pepper, sliced long
- pickled ginger, chopped
- Tamari for dipping (optional)
Rolling Nori
- Place Nori down on the bamboo mat. Typically, the shinier side is put face down.
- Layer filling in neat row, leaving about half an inch of space at the edge of the nori closest to you.
- Rub a bit of warm water on the edge farthest from you. This will help the two sides of nori stick together
- Holding the closest edge of the bamboo mat, roll the away from you.
- Tighten the roll as you go, the same way you would a rug to minimize excess space. Be careful not to make it too tight, however, or fillings may start to fall out.
- Once tightened, you should be able to unwrap the bamboo without the roll coming apart.
- Cover your roll with the bamboo mat and press your hands over it to further pack the roll.
- Move your full roll to a cutting board. Slice it first down the middle with a very sharp or serrated knife. From there you can cut it into sixths or eighths, whichever you prefer.
mmmmm. that is some rawgoodness you write of! Yes to the sunflower paste. I think I need to go and seek some nori…and maybe rearrange some of my week’s meal plans. I can never say no to maki….
My sister in law and I have tentative plans to make sushi tonight. I wish I’d seen this post last night so we could have made the sunflower seed pate. Next time… definitely next time! Thanks for the tutorial though! It will definitely help two sushi making novices.
question: I have toasted, unsalted sunflower seeds… is this a bad thing? and do i need to soak them?
this look so incredibly yummy Meghan! Yep, now I need to go get a bamboo mat asap. I must make Nori Rolls!!
Sexy sprouts sushi!
I think a weekend rest is a GREAT idea. I took the last 3 days off from the computer all together and it was just what I needed. I bought un-toasted nori long ago when I was doing the raw thing and still haven’t tried it- you mention here that the toasted nori is best. Do you mean taste-wise? or nutrition is better as well?
Also- I am about to try your homemade ketchup recipe (SO excited!) how long does it keep for? I’m guessing I can’t just keep it in my fridge all summer like the processed stuff?
Thanks Meghan
My teenage son and I *LOVE* sushi and I think it would be fun to try and make this together.
I am also going to try the homemade ketchup!
Thank you Meghan and enjoy your cooking class. I wish I could be there ;o)
You read my mind! I was just at the store yesterday looking for seaweed, but I didn’t go to our local health food store, so the general grocery store didn’t have what I was looking for. I am craving seaweed/nori/kelp, etc. so much…I plan to have a sushi rice bowl this week. I am also longing to replicate the seaweed salads at Japanese restaurants, but don’t exactly know how.
Yummy!
You can throw me in the nori and avocado as well. I’ll be one happy camper. haha.
Good news! Sushi night was post phoned. Now, we will be able to plan ahead and make the pate! YAY!!!
I SO have all the ing I need to try this!!!
so making it tonight!
thanks for the inspiration!
[...] (count ‘em – 3!), I made sure to read up on Meghan’s short and sweet little sushi rolling tutorial and voilà! I was ready to roll (pun intended, har har [...]
OMGoodness. I have made raw vegan sushi before but never did it look this fabbo. I may have to just try this one out!
Here’s your recipe put to work! http://pfperson.blogspot.com/2010/06/nori-rolls.html
I got a little nervous at first when my blender didn’t want to pulverize the sunflower seeds, but it turned out delicious in the end. I love trying something I never, ever would have thought of (the pate) that comes out great. Didn’t miss the rice at all.