Masu Sushi

I got some devastating news recently...apparently, sushi rice generally has sugar in it! I always wondered why I was still getting kinda sick whenever I ate sushi. I really don't understand the need for Americans to hide sugar in literally EVERYTHING.

Don't worry though, this post bears good news. I found an awesome sushi place, called Masu sushi in SW Portland, that will custom make your sushi without the sugar laden sushi rice. In fact, all the sushi is made to order and the fish comes in fresh daily! Plus, they serve only top shelf sake and I've heard that their cocktails are killer. AND they have gluten free tamari!

I started my meal with a sea vegetable salad that is, no joke, the best I've ever had. Not nearly enough food cause I devoured it instantly, but it was the perfect appetizer for my sushi rolls.

For my main course, I ordered off their decent-sized vegetarian menu. I got the veggie maki which has avocado, sprouts, cucumber and burdock root, and the ume shiso roll which is pickled plum and shiso which is a japanese mint. The ume shiso was veeeeeeeeeerrry salty due to the pickled plums but I've been hearing how good they are for you so I had to try it. The veggie maki was awesome, I'm such a sucker for sushi with avocado. I was so tempted to order more after I finished but I was already stuffed.

I highly recommend you try this place out. In addition to the delicious food and drinks, its has a very classy upscale vibe and the wait staff is extremely knowledgable. I just love when restaurants make my life easier instead of harder! Kudos Masu :)

Nori Rolls

I have a new obsession. Nori. A sea vegetable most commonly known for its roll in sushi (no pun intended), Nori is about 1/3 protein and 1/3 dietary fiber and is an excellent source of calcium, iron, iodine, carotene, B vitamins and vitamins A and C, making it a staple in whole food vegan cuisine. They have a slightly salty flavor that my palate associates with sushi, so the addition of it to dishes makes basically anything taste like sushi!

I'll use it on salad, but my favorite way to use it is to make Nori Wraps. I'm posting a basic recipe here, but know that almost ANYTHING wrapped in Nori is delicious; feel free to create your own delicious rolls with whatever tickles your pickle!

Nori can be purchased at most health food stores. Whole Foods has a whole section dedicated to sea vegetables. You may also be able to find it in Japanese markets.

Vitortarian Nori Rolls

2 sheets nori
1 avocado, halved and sliced
1 carrot, cut into sticks
2 leaves dinosaur kale
1/2 c. cooked brown rice
2 leaves basil
1 tbsp. wheat-free tamari

Place the two sheets of nori on a flat surface. Put half of each of the ingredients on each sheet, rice down first. Roll up like a burrito, dip in tamari, and voila, you have a delicious, nutritious meal in a matter of minutes!

Just FYI, I'll be dining at Abby's Table tonight for her Wednesday night family style dinner she holds at her kitchen in SE Portland. I've helped cook for the dinner but never actually had the full experience! I'll be dining as a Vegan tonight so hopefully I'll get some great new ideas for the blog! Either way, you should definitely check out Abby's Table! She caters, is a private chef, and does reservation-only dinners every Wednesday, and everything is gluten, dairy and soy free. She's a killer chef, not to mention a fascinating person! Check her out and make reservations online at http://www.abbys-table.com/.

RA Sushi

I road tripped with some girlfriends to Phoenix this weekend to visit family, it was really fun! Eating, however, was difficult as usual. We stopped in Blythe, California on the way there at Quiznos and I can't even tell you how rude the worker was to me when I asked what was in Honey Mustard salad dressing. I ended up having to eat plain black beans and chicken at a Mexican place, and the lady there was largely unhelpful as well. We also ate at On The Border and Applebee's, overall, they were both good about it, but there were some things they couldn't help me with, which is always frustrating.

But thankfully, my dining experience in Phoenix wasn't completely unpleasant. My aunt took me to a sushi place in Gilbert called "RA Sushi". Sushi is usually ok as long as there aren't any extra sauces or anything, but I never know how helpful the staff will be when serving me. Our waitress was incredible. I told her my allergies and she basically picked out something for me based on what I could eat, making sure everything was allergy free even down to the sauces. I had edamame (my favorite!), a salad with this incredible garlic dressing, and their "Lobster Roll", which consisted of lobster, avocado, and tuna topped with shrimp and served with a dairy free asian pesto sauce. All of it was absolutely delicious! The best part was, at the end of the meal, the waitress made a point to ask me how everything was and tell me that all the RA staff was equally as knowledgeable as she was about allergies and would be more than willing to help me next time. I was so impressed! I'm definitely making a point to visit RA again next time I'm in Phoenix!!

Check out locations and menu at http://www.rasushi.com/