Home ยป California Roll Lettuce Roll-Ups

California Roll Lettuce Roll-Ups

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I’m really bad at keeping good news a secret. Like, really bad.

Mr. Prevention will actually say to me things like, “You need to not mention xyz, okay? Nicole…okay? OKAY?!”

Yeah yeah, home slice. 10-4. ….I spill the beans. Oops.

But in the case of this Blogger’s Choice Recipe Swap, I just…messed up. I scheduled the post to go live at 7am (I normally post much earlier than that so to keep myself from posting early, I scheduled it to post at that time), but I forgot to change the date to today.

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So, I’m driving to work, stopped at a stop light, and see that Joanne had commented on THIS post…yesterday. Wha?!

I pull over and quickly realize my mistake, 32 minutes after going live. Let me tell you, editing a blog post on a smart phone is officially on my list of “things I never want to do again”.

If you saw this yesterday and I spoiled the surprise, I’m sorry. This recipe does bring good news that I wanted to share by the way of a killer California Roll recipe that requires no rolling of seaweed skills. Win-win. Despite my love for sushi and a challenge in the kitchen, I don’t think I’ll be taking up sushi rolling any time soon. Lettuce roll-ups, however, I can handle…that I can do.

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When assigned Lisa’s blog, Tastetastic Voyage, my ADHD kicked off and I actually paged through ALL of her recipes on one sitting…every last one (check her out!). I got it narrowed down to 7, most of which I will definitely be making, but ended up choosing this one. This was the perfect light, summertime meal that had lots of color going on. I definitely chose a winner.

I apologize for prematurely sharing the good news of California Roll Lettuce Roll-Ups between 7am and 7:32am EST a day early, but hey…good news is worth sharing twice, right? 😉

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California Roll Lettuce Roll-Ups adapted Good Housekeeping

1 cup dry rice
2 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
1 head Boston lettuce (~12 leaves), leaves removed and washed
1/2 English cucumber, seeded and chopped into 1-inch sticks
1/2 cup carrot (about 2), shredded
5 oz surimi (imitation crab meat), chopped into 1-inch sticks
1/2 avocado, diced
3 Tbsp picked ginger, chopped
2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

Directions:

In a small sauce pan, bring 2 cups of water and a pinch of salt to a boil. Stir in rice, cover, and reduce heat. Simmer rice 20-40 minutes, according to package directions. Once cooked, stir in the vinegar and set aside.

To assemble the roll-ups, layer several tablespoons of rice in each lettuce leaf. Layer on 2-3 pieces of cucumber, carrot, crab, and avocado. Top with pickled ginger and a dash of low-sodium soy sauce.

Yield: 4 servings (3 roll-ups each)

Nutrition Information (per serving): 255 calories; 3.5 g. fat; 2 mg. cholesterol; 704 mg. sodium; 50 g. carbohydrate; 2.5 g. fiber; 7.5 g. protein

Result: Perfect for summer! Everything you love about a California Roll in a lettuce cup vehicle. These are quick to assemble and are great as a light entree, or even as an appetizer or part of a cocktail party. They definitely present well and look fantastic. These are inexpensive to make (imitation crab is super cheap) and come together very quick. You’ll be shocked at how flavorful the rice is! Enjoy!

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TGIF! The in-laws are in for the weekend!! 🙂 No idea what’s on the agenda but after this crazy week, I’ll be enjoying every last second!

Be well,

Share With Your Friends!

10 Comments

  1. Joanne
    July 26, 2012 / 7:10 am

    WIN! All the deliciousness of california rolls without all the work of having to really put them together. And so healthy too!

  2. Lisa
    July 27, 2012 / 8:01 am

    Hey lady! Glad you liked them so much that you just had to share them early! Your blog makes my ADHD go bonkers too and I always LOVE your photographs. Hope mine are that good some day!

  3. Christine @ Christine's Kitchen Chronicles
    July 27, 2012 / 9:06 am

    Oh my goodness this looks so delicious! It’s such a simple idea and perfect for Summer! Great Blogger’s Choice pick :).

  4. Kristen (swanky dietitian)
    July 27, 2012 / 11:05 am

    I love California rolls! This is such a unique twist!
    Sounds just delicious! ๐Ÿ™‚
    Enjoy the weekend with the in-laws!

  5. Heidi @ Food Doodles
    July 27, 2012 / 5:21 pm

    Yum! This looks so good! I love this idea ๐Ÿ™‚

  6. Erika - The Teenage Taste
    July 28, 2012 / 5:42 am

    This is an awesome idea! California roll is one of my favorite types of sushi!

  7. Kerstin
    July 30, 2012 / 8:26 pm

    What a great way to enjoy California roll flavors at home! I’m impressed you scheduled a post early – I feel like I’m always behind!

  8. Pingback: Seafood
  9. Cara
    August 8, 2012 / 4:21 pm

    Genius! love me some sushi but the though of rolling my own has never appealed ๐Ÿ˜‰

  10. Pingback: Recipe Swap Roundup – Blogger’s Choice Part 5 | Best Recipes Ever

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