Sushi salad bowl with creamy sesame dressing

Ingredients

Serves: 2

• ½ cup (125 mL) brown rice (or use 1 cup cooked, cooled leftover rice)
• 1 cup (250 mL) water 
• 3 Tbsp (45 mL) rice vinegar, divided 
• 1 tsp (5 mL) sugar 
• 1 tsp (5 mL) + 1 Tbsp (15 mL) reduced sodium soy sauce, divided 
• 1 Tbsp (15 mL) reduced fat mayonnaise 
• ½ tsp (2.5 mL) grated fresh ginger 
• 1 Tbsp (15 mL) canola oil 
• 1 tsp (5 mL) sesame oil  
• 1 cup (250 mL) sliced cucumber 
• ½ cup (125 mL) sliced carrot 
• 1 ½ cups (375 mL) shelled, cooked and cooled edamame 
•  1 ½ cups (375 mL) leafy greens (like spinach, arugula or romaine lettuce) 
• ¼ cup (60 mL) sliced radish 
• ¼ cup (60 mL) sliced green onion 
• ½ a ripe avocado, sliced 
• 1 Tbsp (15 mL) toasted sesame seeds 

Instructions

• Bring water and rice to a boil on medium-high heat until it comes to a boil. Reduce to low, cover and cook for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, mix 1 Tbsp rice vinegar, with sugar and 1 tsp soy sauce. Mix into cooked rice, tossing lightly with a fork. Set aside to cool. 
• Mix 2 Tbsp rice vinegar, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, mayonnaise, ginger, canola oil and sesame oil until well blended. Set aside. 
• Divide cooled rice along with cucumber, carrot, edamame, greens, radish, onions and avocado between two bowls. Drizzle evenly with dressing and top with sesame seeds. 

• Cooking know-how: While this recipe serves 2, it easily doubles to make 4 servings. And, because of the hearty ingredients, it can be prepared and made in advance, adding the dressing just before serving. 
• Nutrition know-how: Cooking and cooling rice before eating helps to increase resistant starch which has a lower blood sugar response when consumed as compared to hot cooked rice. 
• Substitution: Prefer a different protein? You can replace the edamame with cooked lentils or a serving of cooked or canned salmon. 
• Special extra: Try adding ½ tsp wasabi paste to the dressing if you like a little kick. Top with shredded seaweed.