Quinoa Avocado Sushi

{I received free samples of California Avocado mentioned in this post. By posting this recipe I am
entering a recipe contest sponsored by California Avocado and am eligible to win prizes associated
with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.}

I used to dislike avocados.  They were too mushy, and too boring, and I just didn't find them appealing at all.  It's fair to say that times have definitely changed.

As it turns out, the reason I never likes avocado was because I'd never had a really good one.  I was used to store bought guacamole, and the browned chunks in a salad, not fresh, green, avocado with a creamy texture and delicious taste.

I tried my first real avocado when our family was on vacation in California.  I remember going on hikes through groves of avocado trees, and then driving to a nearby farm to table restaurant and savoring the avocado dishes that were made with the freshest avocados you could ever eat.  And then we would stop at a farm stand on the side of the road and buy even more avocados, paying by placing wadded up money in a rusted metal box.

That was the trip I learned how amazing California avocados can be.

Obviously, when I heard about the recipe contest centered around California avocados that the Recipe ReDux was sponsoring, I knew I had to be a part.

I thought long and hard about what I was going to make.  I wanted something simple, but also complex enough to call a recipe, and I wanted it to show off the avocado in the best way.  I finally decided on making avocado sushi.

I'd been wanting to make some sushi for a while now, and this was the perfect opportunity.  Who doesn't love some great avocado sushi?  To add an extra special twist, I added cucumber and spinach, and used quinoa instead of rice.  I couldn't have been happier with the result.  This is one delicious and nutritious avocado dish.

Quinoa Avocado, Cucumer, and Spinach Sushi

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 3 tbsp brown rice vinegar
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• pinch salt
• 1 small cucumber
• handful of spinach
• 1 california avocado
• 4 sheets nori sushi wrap

Place quinoa and water in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer until all water has been absorved and quinoa is fluffy.  While quinoa cooks, cut avocado and cucumber into thin strips.  Once quinoa has finished cooking, place it on a large plate.  Mix together vinegar, maple syrup, and salt in a small bowl.  Pour a bit of vinegar mixture on quinoa at a time, mixing around quinoa as you go.  Lay out one nori wrap on a sushi mat.  Spread quinoa on all but the last two inches on wrap.  Place spinach on quinoa and top with cucumber and avocado slices.  Roll up tightly, wetting the end of the nori wrap to make it stick.  Repeat to make a total of 4 rolls.  Use a sharp knife to cut into rolls.  Store rolls in fridge.  Recipe makes 4 servings of 1 roll each.