Healthy Sushi: Wasabi Recipe

I love sushi. Nori and other sea vegetables are a great source of iodine. I've made sushi a few times but my family all agrees it tastes better from a restaurant for some reason. I decided to make some at home the other day and went to buy the wasabi and pickled ginger from the grocery store. I checked the ingredients on the wasabi first, sorbitol was the second ingredient! Gross. I know it's only a small amount that you eat but there's no way I was putting that crap in my body. I didn't even have to pick up the pickled ginger because I could clearly see Aspartame written across the bottle. What's with the artificial sweetners?? Do they use these same brands in the restaurants? 

Not willing to give up my sushi I set out to make my own wasabi. I found wasabi powder at the asian food market but there were preservatives in that too so I looked at the two main ingredients: Horseradish and mustard. My next stop was Safeways grocery store to grab some horseradish root. I already had mustard powder at home. This was too easy - I peeled and cut the horseradish root into chunks, and threw it in the blender with the mustard powder, 1 juiced lemon and some water. You could tint it green with spirulina if you want a more authentic looking wasabi paste. 

 It turned out great! It was almost identical to wasabi. It had that POW that I was looking for and I could enjoy my meal, preservative and artificial sugar-free! I was going to make homemade sushi but felt like going out and sharing this awesome wasabi. So I bottled up my recipe and took it to DK Sushi for supper with my sister Nikki and dear friend Lisa. Now what about the ginger you ask?? I brought ginger powder from home, but my next venture will be to try making my own pickled ginger or trying it with some fresh thin slices. Be careful not to inhale the ginger powder like I did! 

You may have also noticed that my sushi is all veggies! I asked the server and he said they add sugar to the rice, so I asked for a rice free roll. He looked at me funny but it was no problem for them to make them rice free for me. I am sorry if I have ruined sushi for anyone, I just thought you should all know what you are eating! Maybe there are restaurants that use organic healthy versions of wasabi and pickled ginger, I suggest you ask the next time you go out or try making your own wasabi at home! 

Wasabi
3/4 cup horseradish chunks (peeled)
1 tsbp mustard powder
1 lemon juiced
1/4 cup water (I added more after)

This makes a big batch so you can share with the whole family. I blended all of the ingredients together in my vitamix on high, but you could also make this in a food processor. I had to add more water as I went. Keep adding water until it's not chunky, but be careful not to add too much or it will become runny.