This is how we roll-our version of sushi-totally veggie, and of course, gluten-free

They got a little big, but that's alright.

Here the pre-prep:
Ripe avocado-peeled by hand is perfect, cut a little around the stem end, and the skin just pulls away.  Not ripe enough? Not going to happen...so it has to be excellent.  Peel off slices with the carrot peeler, and lay the pieces onto plastic wrap, together, fold them completely into the wrap, and squash out all the air to keep them green instead of brown, and refrigerate.

Carrots, peel and shred two large carrots, we left some plain, and mixed some with cream cheese

Skinny "rods" of cucumber are great...

Vinegar: to make sushi vinegar, because the store ones contain gluten-I mixed in two teaspoons of raw sugar with about a third of a cup of vinegar...it's for seasoning the rice.

Tuna, mixed with mayo and garlic--yep--cracked open a can of cooked>>>very inauthentic, but I don't know enough about prep to go raw!

Sheets of nori

Pickled ginger...better without the food colouring to turn them pink...but pink will do in a pinch.

Gluten-free soya sauce.

Wasabi if you like...

When it's time, cook the sushi rice (needs to be the actual, super-sticky sushi rice) as directed.  It does use less water than it seems like it should, but go with the directions and it will work.  1.5 cups yields enough for about 6 pieces of nori, so 6 rolls--if your big kid isn't scooping rice to make "rice-paper" sushi because he doesn't like nori...

When the rice is done, transfer to a larger and flatter bowl so it cools more quickly, and sprinkle it generously with the sweetened vinegar.

If you have a bamboo rolling mat, super, if not, placemat...

To start the roll, cut the nori in half lengthwise (if you want it to just fit), or leave it large and be content with a fatter sushi roll...Spread the shiniest side evenly with about a cup of cooked rice, cover it with a sheet of plastic wrap, and flip it gently onto the rolling mat.  If you want to have something over the rice, like superfine chopped green onion, now's the time to sprinkle that over top...or, if you want to go over the top for dinner at home, try find the tiny fish eggs in the specialty section, and use those.  They're fun to eat, because they pop...I have more fun when I forget I'm actually eating miniscule fish eggs...somehow, calling it roe doesn't help...(Insight into why I like my sushi on the veggie side...)

Now, you are literally ready to roll...Lay all of your "inside" ingredients into a very uniform line less than an inch wide, along the long side of the nori.  Using the plastic wrap keeps the rolling mat clean, so to start rolling, get the plastic and mat together, and start the roll, using the mat to pull backwards and tighten everything together as you go.  Work little by little, tightening it up as you roll, and that's one done!

Alternatively, don't flip the rice and nori before you start, and you can roll with the nori on the outside which is much tidier...but no rice on the outside...and you've made maki rolls...

Cutting tips: the rice is really sticky, so you might want to clean the knife frequently.  Be precise, go slowly, and use longer strokes to get a nicer cut.  Plate them, keep the kids off them until all the rolls are rolled, and dinner's ready!

If you are feeling like this would be fun for a party, I agree...the maki rolls are a nice contrast on the plate, so if you're working solo, you can play with how that looks.

Cheers and chao...