Healthy Dinner: Vegan Sushi Bowl with Carrot Ginger Dressing

This is the kind of healthy dinner that is good any time of year, simple, wholesomely delicious, and so nutritious: Crisp cucumbers and steamed sweet potatoes and spinach, chickpeas, and brown rice topped with nori and carrot ginger dressing. (Yes, that carrot ginger dressing). This idea of light and balanced dinner-in-a-bowl is much closer to homemade Asian food I grew up with, rather than takeouts and restaurant food that can be so heavy, all too often.

This simple template works for so many variations as well. Feel free to add sauteed shiitake mushrooms, avocado slices, steamed kabocha squash, asparagus, and other sushi favorites, and arrange by contrasting colors in the bowl!

Vegan Sushi Bowl with Carrot Ginger Dressing

serves 2

Dressing

2 large carrots, in 1/2″ thick pieces

1/2 tbsp ginger, minced

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1/2 cup water

2 tbsp neutral oil like grapeseed or canola

1 tbsp sesame oil

1/2 tbsp soy sauce

salt to taste

The rest of the bowl

2 cups cooked brown rice

1/2 bunch spinach, cleaned and trimmed

2 kirby cucumbers, seeded and sliced

1 sweet potato, cubed

1 can chickpeas, rinsed well and drained

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp olive oil

salt and pepper

gomashio (garnish)

2-3 nori sheets, cut into thin long strips

1. Boil water in a medium pot with steamer. Add carrots to the steamer and steam for about 8 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork. Remove carrots from the steamer and add to the blender. Blend with the rest of dressing ingredients on high until thoroughly blended. You may also add more water if you like thinner consistency. Put the dressing in the fridge to cool.

2. Keeping the same hot water in the pot, add sweet potatoes to the steamer and steam for about 6-7 minutes or until nearly done. Add spinach at the last minute, and remove from heat when it is vivid green. Rinse the spinach in cold water and squeeze gently to remove all water. Set aside the sweet potatoes and the spinach.

3. Heat the 1 tsp oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for about 20 seconds, until just fragrant. Add chickpeas, salt and pepper, and cook for another 3-4 minutes, until warmed through. Remove from heat.

4. To assemble, add brown rice to the bowl, and top with cucumbers, sweet potatoes, spinach, and chickpeas. Top with gomashio and nori strips. Serve with carrot ginger dressing.