Veggie Sushi with Spicy Mayo

This post is sponsored by Divine Flavor. All opinions are my own.

Hello friends! I'm happy to be here today. I know it's been a little while since I last blogged, and it feels like each post becomes harder to write lately. Maybe it's because it's summer and I'd rather spend all my time outdoors and not in front of a computer or taking pictures of food, but I am trying not to be too hard on myself and just enjoy taking a break here and there. Hopefully you are taking some time off this summer too!

The past few weeks I have been drinking lots of iced sweet tea and pairing it with a few different books that I have been meaning to read. Gosh, it's been awhile since I've really enjoyed reading. I finished The Joy Luck Club and then moved on to The Help. Joy Luck Club was really sad but thought-provoking, and I absolutely loved everything about The Help. Now I am reading The Princess Bride - which I've heard is so good and maybe better than the movie? Although not sure how that's possible?! 

Besides my summertime sweet tea obsession, I have been only interested in all of the light and (non hot) foods in this heatwave. Veggie sushi is the best to make at home because it is such a good light lunch or dinner and utilizes just about any vegetable or fruit that you have on hand. I also love that I don't have to worry about dealing with raw fish and questioning whether or not it actually is sushi grade or not. Not to mention - that stuff is expensive!

The key to good veggie sushi is to play with textures and to serve it with a good dipping sauce (i.e. spicy mayo and soy sauce). I love the crunch from the cucumber paired with the soft mango and avocado. The cucumbers were sent to me by Divine Flavor - a family owned fruit and vegetable distribution company.

Rolling sushi can take some practice, but it is not too hard once you get the hang of it. I've provided a short video below on how I roll mine. It's so much fun!!

If you try making your own veggie sushi at home, tag me on instagram so I can see! Happy rolling!

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Veggie Sushi with Spicy Mayo

makes one roll

Ingredients

For the rice

• 1 cup sushi rice, rinsed
• 3 tbl rice vinegar
• Pinch of salt

For the rolls

• 2 sheets nori (dried seaweed)
• 1/2 large Divine Flavor cucumber, quartered lengthwise
• 1 carrot, sliced into ribbons
• 1/2 cup shredded red cabbage
• 1/2 large mango, sliced thin
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 1/2 avocado, sliced thin

For the spicy mayo

• 1/4 cup mayo
• 1 tbl sriracha

• Soy sauce, for serving

Directions

Cook the sushi rice according to package directions. Let cool completely, and then mix in the rice vinegar and salt.

Place a sheet of nori on a clean surface or bamboo sushi mat, if using. Scoop a handful of the sticky rice directly onto the nori sheet, and press the rice with a spoon or your hands, until it is evenly distributed across. Leave a 1/2 inch border on the long side of one edge.

Now you are ready to add the filling. Add a layer of cucumber in the center of the rice. Layer the carrot ribbons on top, then the red cabbage, mango slices, avocado slices, and scallions. Be careful not to overstuff.

Dab your finger in some water and moisten the 1/2 inch exposed border of the nori with some water. Roll the sushi away from you, tucking in the vegetables as you go. Press the roll down slightly to make sure it is sealed.

Using a very sharp knife, slice the sushi into 8 even pieces.

To make the spicy mayo, mix together the mayo and sriracha until combined. Spoon over the top of the sliced sushi or transfer to a squeeze bottle and drizzle on top. Serve sushi with soy sauce for dipping!

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Broccoli Cheese Tots

This post is sponsored by Taylor Farms. All opinions are my own.

My favorite way to eat broccoli as a kid was paired with something cheesy (like mac and cheese!) or with some sort of cheese sauce atop the broccoli. I also loved broccoli cheese soup (which, thinking back, is pretty much just like cheese fondue with speckles of broccoli in it). Broccoli and cheese is just one of those classic pairings that go together like milk and cookies or peanut butter and jelly. Wouldn’t you agree?

Now that I am an adult (although, this is debatable sometimes), I will eat my broccoli any which way - steamed, roasted, raw - but I will never say no to a broccoli cheese pairing, especially if it is in the form of a tater tot! Finger foods are kind of the best.

I’ve been wanting to make homemade tater tots for awhile now, and when Taylor Farms reached out to me to pair their broccoli pearls into a recipe I knew this was the moment! The best part about these tater tots is that they are easy to make, can be baked, and are much healthier than a regular potato based tater tot (and yes, they can still be dipped in ketchup!). It’s a fun side to whatever you are grilling outdoors this summer, or even packable for a picnic!

You simply start by steaming the broccoli bits directly in the bag in the microwave, and then mix it with panko, an egg, shredded cheese, and some seasonings. The result is a healthier baked tater tot that is the coolest green color. The only thing missing at this point is green or purple ketchup to dip it in. If you remember what I am talking about (looking at you, 90s kids!) then you are my new best friend!

Broccoli Cheese Tots

makes approx 24 tots

Ingredients

• 16 oz broccoli pearls
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
• 3/4 - 1 cup panko
• 2 tbl fresh chopped parsley
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• Pinch crushed red pepper (optional)
• Olive oil, for brushing

Directions

Steam the broccoli pearls according to package directions, and set aside to let cool.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. 

In a large bowl, combine the steamed and cooled broccoli bits, egg, cheddar, panko, parsley, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and crushed red pepper. Mix together until fully combined. 

Scoop about 1 1/2 tbl of broccoli mixture into the palm of your hand, and squeeze with your hand to mold into a long cylinder. Press down on the edges with your other hand to form a rectangular tot shape. If mixture is falling apart in your hands and not sticking, add 1/4 cup panko to the bowl and mix. 

Shape each tot and arrange on a baking sheet, about 1 inch apart. 

Brush the top of each tot with olive oil. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 - 22 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom, rotating the tray halfway through. Serve with ketchup or dipping sauce of choice!

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Baked Falafel Pita Wraps

We do not live in the country. In fact, we live in a typical neighborhood with sidewalks and a community pool and backyard trees to cover the neighbors yard parallel to our own. That's why I have been so surprised by the, um, wildlife assortment I've seen in the months we've lived here.

First, it was the big opossum in our backyard running along the fence line at night. Then, it was the skunk I drove by one day, the deer in the fields on the main road, the mini SNAKE (yes, snake, not worm!) I found under my shoe in my closet the other day, and...most recently, another opossum. Well, actually two more opossums. 

A few night's ago, I heard our dog Scout barking in a way she never has before. I was thinking that it was just a squirrel or the neighbor's cat in a tree, so I let her back in and forgot about it. The next morning I went outside to that same corner and found a dead baby opossum! And yes, it was actually dead, not fake dead. As in...my dog killed it.

And then again, last night on our walk, Scout found another opossum and tried to grab it around the neck with her mouth, before I saw it actually play dead, as opossum's tend to do. It did in fact look dead. We resumed our walk and when we went back by the same spot it was gone. YIKES.

Basically now, I am living with this irrational fear of opossums in my neighborhood, but even worse, of my dog bringing dead ones to my front door. Oy. Send help. 

Let's just go ahead and talk about this baked falafel right now, k?

In NYC (where there are no wild opossums that I know of), we would often get Halal food at a nearby food truck, a cold peach Snapple, and then find a bench or grassy hill in Central Park and have lunch. I would always get falafel and Kyle would always get the lamb gyro. 

Baked falafel is not the same as regular falafel (which is fried) but I try to make healthy choices when I can. These are so easy and are kind of similar to the process of making meatballs but are so much healthier and lighter. These would be great atop a salad, or as I did here in warm pita and tahini sauce. I just love them so!

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Baked Falafel Pita Wrap with Tahini Sauce

Ingredients

for the baked falafel

• 2 cups (or 1-15 oz can) cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro or parsley
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbl lemon juice
• 1/2 red onion, roughly chopped
• 1 garlic clove

for the wrap

• fresh pita
• greek yogurt
• cucumber (I like to shave them with a vegetable peeler!)
• sliced red onion
• fresh mint or parsley for garnish (optional)
• for the tahini sauce, mix together 1/4 cup tahini with 1 tbl lemon juice. Dilute with water to get desired thickness

Directions

Pulse all ingredients together in food processor until mixed, but not puréed. Refrigerate for 15 - 30 min.

Preheat oven to 375°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll chickpea mixture into 12 even sized balls, about 1-1/2 inches round, and arrange on the baking sheet. Flatten with a spatula or your hand into patties.

Brush with olive oil and bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 min or until golden brown.

Smear some warm, fresh pita bread with a dollop of greek yogurt. Add 2 - 3 baked falafel patties, cucumber, red onion, fresh mint or parsley, and a drizzle of tahini sauce. Serve immediately!

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