Tropical Sushi Rolls! (w/ Cauliflower Rice)

I think this is my first blog post in over a year! Life has just been sooo crazy, and I had to prioritize my “have to’s” and my “want to’s”, and cut a few things out. . . 

Anyway, I recently created the most amazing Sushi using Cauliflower Rice, and it turned out so well that I just HAD to share 🙂

I have been craving the heck out of sushi lately, but have been feeling SO good following a 99.9% squeaky clean Paleo Diet that I just didn’t want to cave and risk taking a few steps back on the health front to satisfy a craving. So I decided to get creative and try my hand at Sushi made w/ Cauliflower Rice. The idea popped into my head about a month or so ago when I made my first batch of Juli Bauer’s Coconut Caulflower Rice (If you haven’t checked out www.PaleOMG.com yet – do it now!)

You can use whatever fillings that you’re in the mood for – I chose to use Sashimi Grade Wild Tuna, Avocado, Pineapple, and a little bit of Spicy Paleo Mayo. I know . . most people will see the pineapple and go eeewwww. . but I had some leftover Grilled Pineapple from another recipe of Juli’s that I made earlier in the week – and I saw it in the fridge as I was grabbing the ingredients to assemble my rolls, and thought – “Why Not?” – I love sweet and spicy stuff, and the sweetness of the pineapple w/ the spiciness of the mayo really made my taste buds sing!

Ideas for other fillings would be matchstick carrots and/or cucumbers, smoked salmon (if you’re not into raw fish), or crab meat (REAL Lump Crab mixed w/ spicy mayo would be yummy! Just avoid the overly processed gluten filled fake stuff).

This Recipe is kind of like a 3-in-1. I’ll include the Sushi Roll Assembly Instructions, a recipe for the Cauliflower Rice (pretty much straight off Juli’s site w/ just a minor modification), and a recipe for the spicy mayo.

1 batch Cauliflower “Sticky” Rice (recipe below)

3 Tb Spicy Paleo Mayo (optional – recipe below)

Sashimi Grade Tuna or Salmon. . or Both!

Fresh Pineapple (sliced into long, slender strips)

1 Large Ripe Avocado

Place 1 Nori Sheet on a Flat, Dry surface 

Spread 1/4 cup (give or take) of Cauliflower Rice up and down the center of it

Slice off a strip of Tuna about 1/4 inch thick, and lay down the center of the rice

Lay 2 slices of Avocado alongside the tuna down the center of the rice

Lay a strip of pineapple down the center along the other side of the tuna

Drizzle a little bit of Spicy Mayo over the Tuna/Avocado/Pineapple

“Smear” a little avocado along one edge of the Nori (this will help seal it)

Watch This Video from 6:45 to 7:20 for “rolling” instructions

Once rolled tightly, use a very sharp knife to slice into 6-8 pieces

Spread a little Wasabi Paste along the edge instead of or in addition to the Avocado (if you like it SPICY!)

Sprinkle individual pieces with toasted sesame seeds

Make a Spicy Crab Roll by replacing Tuna w/ Lump Crab Meat that has been mixed w/ the Spicy Mayo

Serve with Wasabi Paste, Pickled Ginger, and Coconut Aminos for dipping

1 Head Cauliflower

1 Tb Coconut Oil (or sesame oil would be good too, I think!)

1/4 – 1/3 cup Full Fat Coconut Milk (depending on size of cauliflower head)

1/8 cup finely shredded coconut (unsweetened)

2 Tb Rice Vinegar

1 tsp Raw Honey

Remove Stems and Roughly Chop Cauliflower. Place florets in Food Processor and Pulse until you get a rice-like consistency. 

Warm 1 Tb oil in large pot – dump in “rice”, sprinkle with sea salt, stir until well combined, and cover with lid to let steam. Steam with lid on for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Honestly? I didn’t set a timer. . . it’s not an exact science though – 8 to 10 minutes should do the trick!). 

Remove lid and stir in coconut milk, vinegar, and shredded coconut. Then drizzle w/ honey and mix well. Let cook about another 8 minutes without lid, stirring frequently. It should be about the consistency of sticky rice when it’s done. 

Remove from heat and set aside

3 Tb of your favorite Paleo Mayo (I like Melissa Joulwan’s recipe)

1/ 2 tsp Cayenne Pepper (more or less to your taste) 

1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

splash of coconut aminos (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well (or blend w/ a hand blender if you’d prefer)

Rough Chopped Cauliflower in Food Processor

“Riced” Cauliflower

Ingredients for Coconut Sticky “Rice”

Sticky “Rice” (after cooking)

Assembled Sushi Roll before Rolling

Basic Sushi Roll 1

Basic Sushi Roll 2

Tropical Sushi Roll!