Kid-Approved Hand Rolls

HOUSTON – Michelle Morris, executive chef with Southern Cadence Cuisine, serves up a new twist on lunch for kids.

Veggie Tahini Ranch Roll (Southern Cadence Cuisine)
Total prep time: ​15 minutes     Servings 2
Ingredients:
- 2 sheets of soy or nori sushi paper
- ½ cup sushi rice or sticky rice
- 1 Red bell pepper cut in stripes
- ½ ripe avocado
- 1 julienne carrot
- ½ English cucumber quartered vertically into sticks

Tahini Ranch Dressing
Ingredients:
- 1 cup plain greek yogurt
- 3 Tbsp Tahini
- 2 Tbsp Lemon
- 1 Grated garlic clove
- 1 Tbsp Olive oil
- Soft fresh herbs to taste finely minced (Parsley, Dill)
- Salt and Pepper to taste

Preparation:
1. Place soy paper on a flat clean surface. If using nori place shiny side down. Take half of the sushi rice and roll into a ball.
2. Spread a thin layer on half of the soy paper.
3. Place fillings diagonally across the rice. Be sure not to overfill!
4. Fold the bottom of the soy paper over and begin folding into a cone shape.
5. Keep rolling until the cone is formed. Smear a piece of rice along the edge as glue to secure the cone.
6. Repeat steps for the second piece of soy paper.
7. Drizzle with tahini ranch dressing.

Tahini Ranch Dressing:
1. Whisk together yogurt, tahini, lemon juice and oil.
2. Add fresh herbs and season generously with salt and pepper.

Tips:
Dressing can be made two days in advance. When you’re working with the sushi rice it is helpful to have damp hands so that the rice does not stick to your hands.
 

Chicken Tahini Ranch Roll (Southern Cadence Cuisine)
Total prep time: ​15 minutes      Servings 2
Ingredients:
- 2 sheets of soy or nori sushi paper
- ½ cup sushi rice or sticky rice
- 1 grilled chicken breast
- ½ ripe avocado
- 1 julienne carrot
- ½ English cucumber quartered vertically into sticks

Tahini Ranch Dressing
Ingredients:
- 1 cup plain greek yogurt
- 3 Tbsp Tahini
- 2 Tbsp Lemon
- 1 Grated garlic clove
- 1 Tbsp Olive oil
- Soft fresh herbs to taste finely minced (Parsley, Dill)
- Salt and Pepper to taste

Preparation:
1. Place soy paper on a flat clean surface. If using nori place shiny side down. Take half of the sushi rice and roll into a ball.
2. Spread a thin layer on half of the soy paper.
3. Place fillings diagonally across the rice. Be sure not to overfill!
4. Fold the bottom of the soy paper over and begin folding into a cone shape.
5. Keep rolling until the cone is formed. Smear a piece of rice along the edge as glue to secure the cone.
6. Repeat steps for the second piece of soy paper.
7. Drizzle with tahini ranch dressing.

Tahini Ranch Dressing:
1. Whisk together yogurt, tahini, lemon juice and oil.
2. Add fresh herbs and season generously with salt and pepper.

Tips:
Dressing can be made two days in advance.
You can also you a rotisserie chicken breast.
When you’re working with the sushi rice it is helpful to have damp hands so that the rice does not stick to your hands.
 

Sweet Summer Fruity Roll (Southern Cadence Cuisine)
Ready in ​15 mins     Serves 2 ​ people
Ingredients:
- ½ Cup Coconut Sticky Rice
- 1 Mango
- ¼ sliced strawberries
- ¼ pineapple cut into thin strips
- Toasted coconut for garnish

Preparation:
1. Prepare 1 cup of short grain rice according to the package. Once rice has cooled add coconut creme and a few pinches of salt. Stir to combine
2. Place your bamboo sushi mat in a large plastic Ziploc bag or cover it in plastic wrap.
3. Place half a sheet of nori seaweed, shiny side up, on the bamboo mat. With dampened fingers or the back of a spoon, spread ½ cup sushi rice on the nori, covering the whole sheet. Flip it over so the rice is on the bottom.
4. Place about ¼ cup of filling in a horizontal line across the lower third of the nori.
5. Pull the bottom of the mat up to help roll the nori ​ ​over the filling. Pull it taught toward you to make a tight roll, release the mat, and do it again a couple more times, until you reach the end
6. Sprinkle toasted coconut on sushi mat and roll the finish roll back and forth to adhere toasted coconut to it.
7. With a sharp knife, cut the roll crosswise into 6 equal pieces.

Tip:
Keep hands damp with a water