Vegan California Rolls

Last night my husband made the BEST vegan California rolls!  Oh my, were they delicious.   You can find the white miso and nori sheets at an Asian store.  Just so you know, the miso is in the refrigerated section and you have to make sure you get a vegan kind.  Some of them use a fish ingredient.

These were so amazing, we're going to have to make them every Thursday night.  (We normally eat some type of Asian food while we watch The Big Bang Theory!)

On a more personal note, I'm still struggling with this whole vegan thing.  I have been feeling yesterday and today like I have a bad cold or sinus infection coming on, and all I want is chicken noodle soup.  We're going to try to make our normal recipe, but leave out the chicken.  Seems pretty sad to me, but maybe at least having the vegetable broth will help.

Today marks the end of the first week, and only two more to go.  I do feel like I'm finding things that I enjoy, but having to read EVERY SINGLE LABEL is annoying.  Having a craving for something I can't have is frustrating.  Wandering around Whole Foods looking for something I've never heard of before is embarrassing.  However, I do feel slimmer.  I won't be getting back on the scale until tomorrow, and I know I haven't dropped any drastic weight, but I definitely feel my pre-holiday body coming back!  I am sad that I missed today's workout and I'm missing tomorrow's as well due to warding off this potential illness.  I always say, "oh, I feel okay enough to run" and then end up with full-blown bronchitis or something similar the next day, and then I'm knocked off my feet for at least a week.  And this ALWAYS seems to happen the week that I get back into my full training schedule!  AND it's snowing outside, which is my favorite running weather!

California Rolls

2 nori sheets

2 tsp mellow white miso

2 cups alfalfa sprouts I don't like sprouts so we used rice instead

½ avocado, thinly sliced

¼ cucumber, seeded and cut lengthwise into thin strips

¼ cup grated carrot

¼ red bell pepper, cut into thin strips

Tamari for dipping

Lay one sheet of nori, shiny side down, on a bamboo shushi mat. Using the back of a teaspoon, spread 1 tsp of the miso in a single horizontal strip anywhere along the bottom third of the nori. Along the edge of the nori closest to you, layer the sprouts, avocado, cucumber, carrot, and bell pepper.

To roll, grip the edges of the nori sheet and the sushi mat together with your thumbs and forefingers, and press the filling back toward you with your other fingers. Using the mat to help you, roll the front edge of the nori over the filling. Squeeze it with the mat, then lift the mat and continue rolling.

Just before completing the roll, dip your index finger in water and run it along the far edge of the nori sheet. This will seal the seam of the roll. Cut the roll into 6 pieces with a serrated knife. Fill, roll, and slice the other sheet of nori the same way. Arrange on a plate and serve immediately with a small bowl of tamari for dipping, if desired.

Namarie!