This bento is based on the concept that I got from Pinterest that you can make "sushi" from flattened bread and fillings, rolled up and sliced. These are basically based upon regular sandwiches, but making them sushi-style is a twist that I find to be quite tasty and fun to eat.
This bento is "creative" in the sense that I came up with a bunch of different "sushis" that you can mix and match to make the bento. I haven't tried all of them yet, but here they are, to give you ideas. The bento in the picture has Egg Salad Sushi, Indian Curry Sushi, Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese Sushi, and Pistachio Chocolate Banana Sushi.
Contents
Choose 3 main dish sushis and one dessert sushi to make for this bento.
How to Make Creative Sushi
- If using regular bread, remove the crust from the bread and flatten it with a rolling pin (or you can use an unopened can of something if you don't have a rolling pin handy). After you flatten the slice, pick it up off your work surface before adding fillings, to make sure it doesn't stick to the surface and be difficult to roll. Lay the bread landscape-style on your work surface.
- If your filling is a spread, spread it on the bread. If it's flat and thin, like deli meat, just lay some on the bread. If it's not flat, than arrange some on the bottom third of the bread. Less is more with the fillings.
- Roll the bread slice up so that it is seam-side down. Take a sharp knife and cut it into four slices (this is for a regular slice of bread; if using a tortilla or some other flatbreads, it will be longer and you can cut more slices).
- Lay the slices cut side up in your bento container. Now you have sushi!
Main Dish Sushi
Egg Salad Sushi: Make some simple egg salad with chopped hard boiled eggs, mayonnaise and dijon mustard. Put it in flattened rye bread with some cucumber strips and shredded carrots.
Indian Curry Sushi: Mix a drained can of chunk chicken with some mayonnaise and a little bit of curry powder. Put it in whole wheat naan with some cucumber strips and shredded carrots. When I tried this, I had trouble rolling the naan, so next time I will try flattening it first.
Mexican Sushi: Spread some soft cream cheese on a whole wheat tortilla. Add some salsa along the bottom third, along with some avocado strips and chopped green onions. This can be cut into 8 pieces, instead of 4.
Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese Sushi: Spread flattened rye bread with soft cream cheese. Add Chicken of the Sea Smoked Salmon, from a pouch, avocado strips, and cucumber strips.
Tuna Salad Sushi: Mix some canned tuna with mayonnaise and a little dijon mustard. Put this on flattened whole wheat bread, along with cucumber strips and shredded carrots.
Dessert Sushi
Berry Crepe Sushi: Get some pre-made crepes from the deli or produce department of a supermarket. Spread a crepe with strawberry cream cheese and arrange some raspberries and blackberries on the lower third.
Lemon Raspberry Crepe Sushi: Spread a crepe with lemon curd and add raspberries.
Melon Raspberry Spring Rolls: Dip a spring roll wrapper in water to soften it, then fill it with cantaloupe and watermelon strips and raspberries. This doesn't get sliced; it's just a spring roll.
Pistachio Chocolate Banana Sushi: Follow the link for the recipe.
