Karina throws a sushi party!

People often tell me they're intimidated with the idea of making sushi or think you need special rollers or equipment, so I wanted to share just how easy it is to do it by hand!
First you want to buy a bunch of your favorite seasonal fruits and veggies, sushi rice, nori paper, and anything else you might want to add to your rolls. You want to wash your sushi rice until clear water streams through and put it in a big pot with cold water (1 cup rice to every 1 1/4 cup water- I was cooking for about ten so I did a little over 3 cups rice). Bring to a boil and then reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes or until rice is fluffy and soft and water is gone. Cool a bit and sprinkle with sugar and rice vinegar to make it sticky for later!

Once my fruits and veggies were cut and cooked and my station was complete with a bowl of water for my hands, I pulled the first sheet out and went to rolling town. I always face the shiny side of the paper face down. I wet my hands, grab a good-sized handful of rice, and place it in the center of the bottom half of the sheet. I use my hands to spread, flatten and level out the rice to fill the bottom four sections on the nori sheet.

I always cut my ingredients into the longest, skinniest strips possible making it perfect for rolling a tight, even roll. Line your ingredients next to and on top of each other in the middle of your rice plain length wise. Often I'll start with a strip of almond butter or wasabi down the center to add a dynamic and surprising twist.

I get as much extra rice out of the way as possible, reach both hands under the bottom corners, and fold the bottom over all of the fillings as tightly as possible, tucking it in with my fingers. Once I start to have a secure tucking, I continue to roll it up, taking time to tighten and even it. Wetting your hands often makes it easier to both clean off the loose sticking rice and seal the nori to itself. You want to use water to seal the end of the sheet to the roll to make sure it stays together.

This is my favorite part because you can make every roll completely different. I love to add unusual ingredients such as dates, kiwis, pears, beets- whatever you dare. Just try and think about giving the bite a balance of textures and colors as well as flavors. Like I said, adding almond butter (or peanut butter!) is always a huge hit and has aided in many of my favorite rolls.


Simply use a good, clean knife and slice it into delicious pieces! It helps to get the knife wet throughout the process to have clean cuts.

These rolls were made up of organic mango, avocado, carrot, cucumber, gold kiwi, red pear, roasted asparagus, pumpkin (that I roasted with home-made wasabi oil!),sauteed portobello mushrooms, roasted zucchini and of course, almond butter.

So easy and even more delicious!