Sushi Date $20

What happens when you're pregnant and want sushi? A veggie sushi date, of course! We made quite the amazing sushi at home the other day (and no I've never taken a class or done it before, so you can do it too!) so I wanted to share my recipes here in case you feel the need for a fun, healthy, $20 date! You can really choose any vegetables you wish, but these were some that Jonathan and I picked for ours. If you want to add crab meat or salmon, that's appropriate too, but I prefer to keep in simple.

Sushi Roll Ingredients:

Seaweed Sheets (also called nori) - plan on 2 per person

white sushi rice

1 red pepper

1 cucumber

1 jar of pickled ginger (not raw ginger)

1 avacado

rice vinegar

soy sauce (I use low sodium)

1 pkg cream cheese

Directions:

1. First, make 1 cup dry rice following to the package instructions (sushi rice is a little sticky, which is good). This will make approximately 2.5 cups after it's cooked.

2. While the rice is cooking, thinly slice your vegetables in long strips so they're easy to roll. You don't want them diced for this, trust me.

3. When your rice is finished, add 2-3 Tbsp of rice vinegar per 1 cup of rice and mix well.

4. On a wet surface (I used a wet cutting board), lay out a sheet of seaweed paper.

5. Spread a thin layer of rice on the seaweed, being careful not to get it too close to the edges. After all, you don't want a mess. You want pretty sushi.

6. Lay whatever vegetables you choose to use in a thin line and then roll as tightly and gently as you can with wetted fingers. (We just added ingredients that we wanted, not everything. You can see our sushi rolls below if you need suggestions.)

7. To get the roll to stick shut, just add water under the edge. The nori sheets will stick really well together with water.

8. To slice, make sure to use a very sharp, wetted knife and cut slowly. Each roll should make about 6-8 pieces. (It cuts much easier if you refrigerate it for 30 minutes...if you have the patience) I betcha it turned out great!

9. Make and use your sauces! Don't skimp! It's the best part! May I recommend the Sesame Ginger Sauce? A-MAZING.

Dynamite Sauce: (surprisingly good!)

1/2 cup low-fat mayo (I used fat-free miracle whip)

2 Tbsp hot sauce

1/4 tsp sesame oil

Sesame Ginger Sauce: (SUPER WINNER!)

2 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp dijon mustard

1/4 tsp sesame oil

1/4 tsp ginger root (I used chopped up pickled ginger from above ingredients)

2 1/2 tsp water

Jonathan's Sushi:

Red Pepper

Avacado

Cucumber

Michelle's Sushi:

Cream Cheese

Avacado

Cucumber

Ginger