Imagine rolling slices of pear, avocado and cucumber in a rice coated sheet of nori. Slice the roll and dip a piece in peanut sauce. Yum! Sounds delicious, right? But maybe it’s more work than you’re up for… Sushi salad is the perfect compromise when you don’t feel like being fussy. With minimal effort this Pear Avocado Sushi Salad can be just as satisfying as the sushi roll described above. It has the same healthy ingredients.

Why You Should Eat Nori

I share nori’s many health benefits in my Veggie Quinoa Sushi Rolls post. But I recently discovered another important reason to include these unassuming strips of seaweed in my diet. Apparently consuming raw cruciferous veggies (kale, broccoli, etc.) has the potential to interfere with iodine absorption. (Iodine is vital for a healthy thyroid.) If you enjoy raw cruciferous veggies, be sure you also eat iodine rich foods like nori.

Pear Avocado Sushi Salad

You hardly notice the nori in this Pear Avocado Sushi Salad. It adds a hint of salty texture under the creamy flavor of peanut sauce.

This recipe was partly inspired by the Budda Rolls (avocado and peanut) I enjoy at my favorite Japanese restaurant. I didn’t have peanuts so I figured peanut sauce would do. The lovely pears sitting on my counter also seemed like a good fit. Good call. They add a delectable touch of sweetness.

The salad tastes best at room temperature. To add some leafy greens to the mix, I like to serve it on a bed of baby romaine lettuce. I bet it would also be great wrapped in in a large leaf of romaine.

Print Pin Pear Avocado Sushi Salad with Peanut Sauce This vegan and gluten-free recipe is the perfect compromise when you don't feel like rolling sushi. Enjoy the taste without the work. Prep Time 15 minutes Cook Time 45 minutes Total Time 1 hour Servings 6 Ingredients Peanut Sauce 1/2 cup water

1/2 cup natural peanut butter

1 clove garlic

2 Tbsp. low sodium Tamari

1 Tbsp. brown rice vinegar

2 tsp. maple syrup

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1/8 - 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes to taste Salad 2 cups long grain brown rice or wild rice mix uncooked, I use the Tinkyada brand

4 1/2 cups water

1 cucumber peeled, seeded and chopped

2 pears chopped

2 avocados peeled and chopped

1 Tbsp. sesame seeds

2 nori sheets torn into 2 inch pieces

2 tsp. lemon juice Instructions Peanut Sauce Combine 1/2 cup of water, peanut butter, garlic, Tamari, rice vinegar, maple syrup, ground ginger and crushed red pepper flakes in a high-speed blender.

Begin blending on low and slowly turn up to medium high (7 on Vitamix). Blend for approximately 30 seconds or until the sauce reaches a smooth consistency. Salad Rinse rice and combine with 4 1/2 cups of water in a rice cooker. Cook on brown rice setting. (Alternatively, combine rice and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil on stove top. Reduce heat and simmer covered for approximately 45-50 minutes, or until rice is tender and water is absorbed.)

Fluff cooked rice with a fork and set aside.

Combine chopped pears and avocados with lemon juice in a large bowl and stir to mix.

Add sesame seeds and chopped cucumber and stir to mix.

For easier mixing, add 1/3 of each of the remaining ingredients (cooked rice, peanut sauce and torn nori) at a time. Stir to mix well after each addition. Notes Peanut sauce recipe makes approximately 1 1/2 cups of sauce.

Note: I do not include nutrition information with my recipes because I subscribe to the theories presented in the book Whole and believe we should focus on eating a variety of whole foods instead of counting calories or keeping track of individual nutrients.



