That's a Wrap!

May was a crazy couple of weeks, highlighted by my absence from blogging. However, that did not stopped me from cooking. Er, crafting, new ideas. I am not sure if this wrap can be considered a recipe, or cooking, but it is delicious, nutritious, and quick!

Earlier this year I discovered precooked brown rice in a multitude of formats. When traveling I buy Minute’s individual brown rice cups and at home I currently have frozen brown rice that comes in two serving bags (three bags per box). This allows me to get a filling grain in quickly when I am pressed for time. Food Gal, Carolyn Jung, recently recommended making large batches of brown rice and freezing smaller portions. This is the perfect tip for budget conscious readers!

I have had an uncontrollable craving for sushi lately. It is my quick meal on the run dining option. I know at airports and on the road, I can find healthier options at a sushi bar then I might at other dining establishments. This was becoming problematic though as the craving was beginning to affect my bank account. However, the traditional sushi rice and preparing sushi the way I was taught in the couple of courses I have taken, would take much more time out of my day than I wanted to devote to dining during those busy weeks.

Thus, this quick wrap, similar to a hand roll, was formed. Now sushi purists are welcome to criticize. However, note that I refer to my creation as a wrap and only say that it filled my need for sushi. I don’t claim it is sushi. I don’t use sushi rice (which for the unfamiliar is actually what sushi is, the rolls and pieces have a variety of other names from nigiri to maki).

I bought a package of nori from the store. My package cost under $2 and had ten sheets. I used two sheets per meal. Store the remainder in a large resealable baggie if you package doesn’t reseal itself. I also had some leftover broccoli and carrot slaw leftover from making some Gotta Luv It Chicken Salad Wraps. I purchased a package of imitation crab sticks. And finally I needed some brown rice, rice vinegar, wasabi powder, and low sodium soy sauce.

I cooked up the two serving rice bag, which would actually become four servings in the wraps. The serving size was 2/3 of a cup, so for those repeating this at home, you will need 1/3 of a cup for each serving (two wraps). Put the cooked rice in a bowl and toss in some rice vinegar, sprinkle some wasabi powder, and drizzle a little bit of soy sauce. While traditional sushi rice omits the wasabi and soy but contains other ingredients, this combination was perfect for a wrap on the run. It has the tang, the kick and the salty sweetness combination I was looking for.

Taking a piece of nori, put about 1/6 of a cup of the rice mixture in one quadrant. Add shredded broccoli and carrot as well as shredded imitation crab. Roll into a cone, much like a hand roll. If you aren’t able to roll it tight enough to close the bottom, fold over the tip to prevent escaping ingredients out the bottom. Two of these wraps are filling and full of protein and fiber. Points will vary based on filling, but mine worked out to be 2 points per wrap.