Sunny Wholegrain Sushi

I’ve always been crazy for vegan sushi; in fact, I used to joke that I was "addicted" to my weekly avocado roll. It turns out, though, maybe I was! I have the hardest time with sugar addiction, and regular white sushi rice is seasoned with a mixture of rice vinegar, salt, and lots of sugar. Happily, I came up with this recipe for healthy, wholegrain sushi that lets me enjoy my tasty nori rolls without all that sugar and salt.

When preparing this sushi for your lunch box, include a container of low-sodium soy sauce or Ponzu Sauce for dipping (see recipe below), and a bit of wasabi if you like the heat. When it comes time to fill and roll your sushi, there are dozens of delightful vegan fillings you can choose from. Avocado is my favorite, but you might also like blanched asparagus, red pepper strips, cucumber, sunflower sprouts, grilled shiitake, or fresh mango.

Sunny Wholegrain Sushi

As I was experimenting with healthier sushi rolls, I found that brown rice alone did not get sticky enough to spread well on nori like traditional white sushi rice. I solved the problem by adding tasty millet and tiny amaranth to my brown rice. I found that cooking the three grains together resulted in perfect sushi rice, along with extra flavor and nutrition. A hint of lemon and the crunch of sunflower seeds add flavor and interest.

makes 4 rolls, to serve 2

¾ cup shortgrain brown rice
1/8 cup millet
1/8 cup amaranth
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
1/8 cup sunflower seeds
4 sushi nori sheets (sheets of dry, toasted nori seaweed)
Avocado slices or other filling of your choice

Put the rice, millet, and amaranth into a medium pot and add 1 ½ cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, for 35 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let sit, still covered for another 10 minutes.

Transfer the rice mixture to a large mixing bowl. Stir in the lemon zest and sunflower seeds with a wooden rice paddle or spoon, tossing the rice with light strokes to aerate and help cool the rice. Set the rice mixture aside to cool completely.

When the rice is cool, spread ¼ of the mixture on a sheet of nori laid out on a sushi rolling mat (keep a small bowl of fresh water handy to dip your fingers and keep the rice from sticking). Leave a 1-inch strip at the top of the nori sheet uncovered. Arrange the avocado or other filling down the center of the rice. Use your fingers to lightly moisten the top strip of nori with a dab of water, then use the rolling mat to roll your sushi up and seal it shut.

Transfer the roll to a cutting board and cut into 6 pieces with a sharp knife, wiping the knife with a damp cloth between cuts.

Ponzu Sauce

This makes a refreshing, lower sodium alternative to plain soy sauce for dipping sushi.

makes about ¼ cup

1 tablespoon low-sodium tamari
1 tablespoon brown rice vinegar
1 tablespoon mirin (Japanese cooking wine)
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice

Combine all ingredients. Adjust seasonings to suit your taste.

Picnic Potato Salad

I love this mayonnaise-free version of potato salad. It makes a great potluck or picnic dish.

serves 6 to 8

8 medium Yukon Gold potatoes (3 pounds)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium red onion, diced (about 1 cup)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 Tbs. capers
1 red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, diced
4 stalks of celery, chopped

Boil potatoes in their jackets 20 to 25 minutes, until tender but still holding their shape.

As soon as potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel skins off with the back of a knife. Dice potatoes, and place them in large mixing bowl. Add cider vinegar.

Heat olive oil in sauté pan, and cook onion, stirring often, 3 minutes, until barely soft.

Add onions to potatoes along with mustard, capers, bell pepper, and celery. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Homemade "Maple Syrup"

A lot of vegan recipes call for maple syrup. Here's an inexpensive recipe for those times when you can't afford the real thing.

makes 2 cups

2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon natural maple flavor (like this one)

Put the brown sugar into a medium saucepan. Put the cornstarch into a small bowl or cup and drizzle with about 2 tablespoons of the water. Stir or whisk with a fork until the cornstarch is dissolved, then add it to the saucepan along with the rest of the water.

Stir or whisk constantly over medium-high heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Boil one minute, still stirring.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the syrup cool completely. When it is cool, stir in the maple flavor.

Store in the refrigerator.

Candice's Roll-Out Vegan Oatmeal Cookies

This recipe is from Candice, one of the winners of the Vegan Lunch Box Contest. These healthy cookies contain powdered soy milk (available at health food stores), rolled oats, wholewheat flour, wheat germ, almonds, and flax seeds. "They aren't very sweet," Candice says. "I mostly make them to have a fun activity to do with my 3 1/2 year old son."

Thanks for sharing it with us, too, Candice!

makes 5-6 dozen cookies (or 4 if you use big shapes)

1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup brown sugar
1 2/3 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup mixture of the following: flax seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, and almond slivers (I actually pre-mix a container of this along with rolled oats that I use in all kind of recipes involving oatmeal. When I make these cookies, I do 1 cup of regular rolled oats and 1 cup of my special "medley")
1 cup powdered soy milk
½ cup water
2 ¼ - 2 ½ wheat flour (finely ground)
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 325º.

Cream together vegetable oil and brown sugar. Add the oats, seed-nut mixture, powdered soy milk, and water, and beat well.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Fold into creamed mixture and mix well. You are supposed to chill the dough but I don't have any trouble working with it immediately.

Sprinkle flour on a surface and roll out the dough (since this is a vegan recipe, and therefore not dangerous to eat raw, the whole reason I adapted this recipe was so that my almost 4-year-old son could help me roll it out and use cookie cutters. He is always dying to help me do things in the kitchen! Using the sifter is fun, too!)

Cut out shapes from rolled dough (about 1/4 inch thick) and place on baking sheets. Put the sheets in the oven as soon as they are filled. Bake about 10-15 minutes.

Full Meal Muffins

When I was working on Vegan Lunch Box, I came up with the idea of including a "Full Meal Muffin" recipe that would serve as a convenient, portable, inconspicuous lunch for older kids and teens that included fruits and vegetables. At the time I also wanted to include protein powder for a protein boost, but I was never satisfied with the texture and taste of the muffins with added powder.

After several unsuccessful attempts I decided to bag the muffin idea, but several of you emailed asking what had happened to it. So this week I dusted off my notes, kicked out the protein powder, and here it is! Even without the extra protein this is a nutritious main course at lunchtime: each muffin is filled with whole grains, banana, zucchini, iron- and calcium-rich blackstrap molasses, and omega-3-rich walnuts. They also contain no added sugar, salt, oil, soy, or wheat.

makes 12 muffins

1 cup whole spelt flour
1 cup barley flour (or use 1 cup white and 1 cup whole wheat flour in place of spelt and barley if you prefer)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 ripe bananas, peeled
3 tablespoons blackstrap molasses
½ cup apple juice, plus more as needed
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 zucchini, finely grated (about 1 ½ cups)
½ cup finely chopped or ground walnuts
½ cup currants or raisins (optional, they add a touch of sweetness)

Preheat the oven to 375º. Line a muffin tin with paper liners and spray with nonstick spray.

Combine both flours, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda in a mixing bowl and whisk together.

Place the bananas, blackstrap molasses, apple juice, and apple cider vinegar in a Vita-Mix or other blender and blend until smooth. Mix the wet and dry ingredients together, then fold in the zucchini, walnuts, and currants or raisins. Use a bit more apple juice if needed to wet all the flour.

Divide mixture evenly into the 12 lined muffin cups, and bake for 20 minutes, or until the top springs back to the touch. Remove muffins from the pan and cool on a wire rack.

Store in an airtight container or freeze in individual freezer bags to pull out and put into lunches as needed.