If you ask any of my friends what my favorite food is, I guarantee they won’t think twice in saying “SUSHI!” This rolled up bite-size piece of yumminess is so easy to pop in your mouth for a delicious snack or meal. I love rice, fish, and soy flavors, so for me, the idea of sushi is a genius concept that puts these all together in a little nibble. The combination of sticky rice, crunchy cucumber, and silky fish is perfect, as it’s not overpowered by one taste or smell.
However, sushi is intimidating for many people as they are commonly deterred by the idea of devouring raw fish. In order for them to conquer their sushi fear, I believe baby steps are important. Whenever I’ve dragged friends, who were not the biggest sushi fans, to come along with me to get it, I always told them they had to start small.
A traditional safe choice, to begin with, is a vegetable roll such as avocado or cucumber. Even as a lover of true sushi with raw fish, you’d be shocked by how yummy a simple combo of rice, seaweed, and avocado can be! Next, I suggest they move to California rolls, where imitation crab meat—which is not actual seafood—is used. As they become more comfortable, I advise they try shrimp tempura, which is real fish, but deep-fried, and a next level up. Lastly, if they are ready for the raw flavor, I recommend they take a bite of one of my favorite rolls, the rainbow roll, which has slices of raw tuna, yellowtail, and salmon.
With all things sushi constantly on my mind, I recently stumbled upon a trend online called “Mock Sushi.” This is the concept where your favorite snack can be rolled up and sliced into small bites—just like sushi! With this, you can do so much with a sliced-up roll beyond just fish and rice. It could be anything from a savory bread and cheese roll to a sweet waffle and Nutella one!
Why hadn’t I thought up this before!? I obviously love fish and the explosion of flavors in traditional sushi, but so much of the fun is the bite-size component that when I found this trend, my mind was blown. I became obsessed with this idea of Mock Sushi and wanted to try every and all types.
Now, instead of convincing people to enjoy sushi by taking them through a process to enjoy raw fish, I suggest trying mock sushi. This way, it allows people to see that sushi—such an amazing concept—can be incorporated creatively in many ways! Maybe people will be more inclined to try authentic sushi rather than initially shutting down the idea of consuming fish.
My personal favorite Mock Sushi has become one with bananas and peanut butter. This combo has always been a classic snack, but now, incorporating it into a sushi form has taken the lead for one of my go-to’s. Here’s one of the TikToks that inspired my love for Peanut Butter Banana Mock Sushi!
Ingredients:
- 1 medium-sized ripe banana
- 1 medium-sized whole wheat tortilla
- ~3 spoonfuls peanut butter (or any nut butter of your choice!)
- ~1 drizzle honey
- ~2 teaspoons sprinkled cinnamon
Instructions:
Scoop out a spoonful of peanut butter, or other nut butter, and spread evenly and smoothly on the middle of a tortilla with a knife. Repeat two more times, with two more spoonfuls of nut butter (enough to cover the entire surface of the tortilla).
Next, lightly drizzle honey on top of the peanut butter to add some sweetness. Peel your banana carefully so as not to mush it and place inside the tortilla.
Roll the tortilla up with the banana inside, making sure that the fold is face down on the plate, so the roll stays intact. Slice the roll with a knife into even sushi pieces, about half an inch thick. I recommend using a serrated knife so the pieces cut cleanly.
Sprinkle the individual pieces with cinnamon, grab your chopsticks (or use your fingers), and enjoy!
Gusto Journal 