One of the first recipes I ever put on my blog, which makes it quite special! I still love it though and make it a lot for easy weekday suppers both for myself and when I have a couple of friends over. It’s a fun recipe to make as you have to really get involved with your hands. You can add any veggies to the inside of your roll, my staples are carrot, zucchini and red pepper but broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber and asparagus are all awesome, too.
Serves 1
For the rolls
21/2 tablespoons quinoa
juice of 1 lemon
1 carrot
1 zucchini
1 red bell pepper
handful of sesame seeds
2–3 nori sheets
For the avocado cream
1 avocado
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
juice of 1 lime
salt
Start by cooking the quinoa. Place it in a small saucepan with 1/2 cup of water and the lemon juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10–15 minutes, until all the water has been absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy but not mushy.
Meanwhile, chop all the veggies into thin, long strips.
Now make the avocado cream. Simply scoop the avocado flesh out of its skin and into a food processor with all the other ingredients and 1 tablespoon of water. Blend for a few minutes until a creamy paste forms.
Once the quinoa has cooked, let it cool for a few minutes, then stir in the sesame seeds.
Next assemble your rolls. The best way to do this is to lay a nori sheet on a work surface, put a layer of avocado cream in a strip on one long side, then top it with a sprinkling of quinoa and veggies. Once you’re ready, roll it up tightly. Repeat to fill and roll the other nori sheets.
Either eat the rolls whole, or chop them into bite-size pieces with a sharp, preferably serrated knife.
Tweak It
For a protein boost, add bean sprouts, pumpkin seeds or black beans to your roll; they all add great flavor and texture, too.