Paleo Sushi! {Whole30}

When you start a Whole30, you can look at it in several ways.  You can view it as a list of restrictions and focus on all of the things you can’t have, or you can treat it as an incentive to get creative.  I of course chose the latter.  When it comes to cooking, I enjoy a challenge!

Take sushi for example.  You may have already resigned yourself to thirty days without a sushi roll… but you don’t have to!  Replace the rice with riced cauliflower and the soy sauce with coconut aminos and you’re ready to rock ‘n roll!

And let’s be honest… it looks an awful lot like the really thing, doesn’t it?  This is a great Whole30 dish for a potluck and is sure to impress paleo or low-carb guests at a  dinner party!

Paleo Sushi with Smoked Salmon, Avocado and Veggies

Adapted from Jaybird

Ingredients:

Rice
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 medium head of cauliflower
2 tablespoons rice vinegar (make sure it does not contain sugar)
Pinch of salt

Rolls
5 sheets of nori
6-8 oz smoked salmon
1 ripe avocado
1 medium carrot
1/2 medium cucumber
Coconut aminos, for dipping

Instructions:

1. For the “rice”, cut your cauliflower into florets and add to the bowl of a food process. Pulse about 10 times or until the cauliflower pieces are small and fluffy.  You may have to do this in a couple of batches, and you want to be careful not to over process!
2. Heat coconut oil in a large skills or wok. Pour cauliflower in, stirring regularly until it is  is barely starting to turn golden. Remove and set aside to cool.
3. Once your “rice” is cool, add 2 tablespoons rice vinegar and a pinch of salt.  The vinegar will give the cauli rice some traditional sushi rice flavor while helping it clump up to make more solid rolls.
4. To make a roll, place one nori sheet on top of a sushi rolling mat. Using a rice paddle or spatula, put about 1/2 to 3/4 cups of riced cauliflower on the nori and spread it into a rectangle, leaving just a bit of space on the right and left edge, and about 1/4 of a sheet on the top.  
5. Place fillings on top of the cauliflower in a line closest to you.
6. When you’ve finished adding your fillings, use the end of your sushi mat to roll up the sheet with everything inside. When you’ve almost reached the end of the nori, use your finger to lightly brush the end of the nori with water or vinegar. This will help seal the roll. Finish rolling and press to ensure the roll is tight.
7. Move the roll to a cutting board and cut into pieces using a very sharp knife.
8. Serve plain or with coconut aminos in place of soy sauce!

Makes 24-30 pieces

Johanna