Smoked Salmon Sushi Burritos

Refreshing, light and full of flavor! I love sushi, but I don’t love all the time it takes to roll and cut it into bite-sized pieces. And thus, the sushi burrito was born – the lazy way to enjoy sushi flavors.

The “burrito” in the picture above clearly was a bit of a disaster. Fillings were spilling out everywhere. What can I say, I got a little carried away. My burrito-wrapping technique was all off. But by the end of my meal, it got there! This video may or may not have helped.

What to love:

• Quinoa has a leg up on white rice in terms of nutrition. It has twice the protein and is one of the few foods in the world that is a complete protein, meaning it contains all the essential amino acids your body needs. Quinoa also contains fewer calories and carbs and more vitamin and minerals and fiber. See for yourself, here.
• The salmon and avocado also provide your with heart-healthy unsaturated fats that help lower blood pressure. Avocado also have a fair amount of protein itself.
• The nori paper (seaweed) also is rich in Vitamin C and B6, Idonie. 
• Carrots are rich in Vitamin A and C, which help fight free-radical damage in the body. They also contain the antioxidants beta carotene and fakcarinol, which promote healthy vision and may help fight cancer by destroying precancerous cells in tumors.

Nutritional data: : Salmon, Avocados, Nori.



Recipe

2½ cups cooked quinoa, cold
8 oz. smoked salmon, cut into strips
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced into 1/2-inch chucks
1 red bell pepper, diced
½ large cucumber, diced
3 carrots, peeled and grated
3 T. rice wine vinegar
3 T. soy sauce (go for reduced sodium if you can)
Wasabi powder (to taste)
3 T. sesame seeds
6 sheets nori

In a medium bowl, combine smoked salmon, avocado, bell pepper, cucumber and carrots. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, soy sauce and desired amount of wasabi powder until smooth. Pour dressing over salad. Take sheet of nori, spread a thin layer of quinoa in the center as you would beans and rice for a regular burrito. Add a few spoonfuls of the salmon salad over the quinoa and sprinkle with sesame seeds, then wrap it up like a burrito. Make extra dressing as a dipping sauce. Or for fusion flavors, try mixing mayo, plain yogurt, Sriracha and sesame oil.