Pink Sushi with Juniper Wood Kitchen

I’ve been good friends with Amanda and Aneta for what seems like ages- we were all a part of the Rainbow Run Club last spring, and collectively share a deep love for healthy, plant-based, COLOURFUL food. I was so excited when I saw this dream team was launching a new joint project together, and Juniper Wood Kitchen more than exceeded my expectations.

Filled with the healthiest, prettiest recipes you’ve ever seen, plus an upcoming guide to favourite places and people (I heard a rumour yours truly might be making an appearance very soon), this website is a healthy vegan’s dream. Top it all off with gorgeous photos and a mega cute Instagram account, and what do you get? My newest obsession!

Since one of my goals this month is to work toward a totally plant-based diet, I thought it might be a fun idea to invite the Juniper Wood Kitchen girls over to The Pastel Palace for a snack! We brainstormed a bit about what we might make, and in the end we decided on pink veggie sushi rolls. That’s right, Pink! Are your chopsticks ready?

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Pink Magic Sushi

Makes 4-6 rolls

– 2 cups organic sushi rice

– 2 ¼ cups filtered water

– 2 TBSP fresh beet juice

– ½ TBSP all natural rice vinegar

– 1/ tsp coconut sugar

– ¼ tsp fine sea salt

– 4-6 nori sheets

Filling ideas

– Purple yam or sweet potatoes

– Radish

– Cucumber

– Mango

– Avocado

– Enoki mushrooms

Avocado wasabi whip

– 1 avocado

– ¼ tsp rice vinegar

– natural wasabi powder to taste (we used ¼ tsp)

1. Rinse rice under cold running water until it runs clear. This removed the starch so its better to not skip this step.

2. Put the rice in the pot and cover with just a little more water than rice. For 2 cups of dry rice we used a little less than 2 ¼ cups water (about a ¼” of water to cover the rice in the pot).

3. Turn the heat to max and bring to a boil, occasionally stirring. Once it comes to a boil stop stirring, turn the heat to minimum and cover with a lid.

4. Check the rice in 6-8 minutes to see if all of the water has been absorbed. Tilt the pot to see if any water is sitting on the bottom. When the water is absorbed remove from heat right away to prevent over cooking the rice at the bottom.

5. Using only a wooden spoon, remove the rice from the pot carefully into a wooden or plastic bowl (metal will alter the taste of the rice vinegar we are about to use).

6. While the rice is still hot add ½ TBSP rice vinegar, ½ tsp coconut sugar and pinch of sea salt. Fold the rice several times to evenly coat and distribute the ingredients. Next, drizzle 1 to 2 TBSP beet juice all over the rice depending on how deep you want the hue. Fold the rice as opposed to a stirring motion. Cover with a tea towel and let the rice cool at room temperature before rolling.

7. While the rice is cooling, cut your toppings and set up your rolling station. Have a bowl of water for dipping your hands into as you are handling the rice to keep it from sticking to your fingers. Cover your rolling mat with a large freezer bag or plastic wrap if you want an inside out maki roll (the rice on the outside of the roll). The cucumber, radish, and mango are best sliced into long matchsticks. The yams and avocados should be about the thickness of a finger.

8. With wet hands, spread the rice out onto the plastic covered rolling mat – don’t make the layer too thick or the rolls will be too big. Try to keep it at a single layer of rice (about ¼” thick). When it’s even and slightly longer than your nori paper you can pat the nori down onto the rice. Fill with your fave toppings lengthwise in the middle. When you are ready to roll, wet the top edge of the nori (furthest edge from you) and carefully roll towards it using the bamboo mat as a guide and trying to keep it tight so you don’t end up with rolls that fall apart.

Here’s a video you can reference for sushi rolling techniques

9. If you prefer traditional maki rolls with the nori paper on the outside just use the rolling mat without the plastic, put the nori down, rice down then toppings and roll.

10. Now you can prepare the avocado wasabi whip. Combine avocado, rice vinegar and wasabi powder in a small food processor or high speed blender to create a fluffy whip. Blend until smooth and light. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes to let the wasabi spiciness develop.

Serve with gluten free organic Tamari, Avocado wasabi whip and pickled ginger.

** If you want to make your own pink pickled ginger; thinly slice the ginger and place in an airtight container along with rice vinegar and a few drops of the beet juice. Let sit in fridge overnight or at least a few hours so the colour and vinegar absorbs.