You’re going to absolutely LOVE these Hulk Maki with Spicy Mayo – aka healthy sugar free sushi rolls!
Oh – didn’t know all that sushi you eat had sugar in it?? Well then, I’m glad you stopped by.
Let’s get started!
My husband and I used to always find a reason to go out for a bit of sushi. And by a bit I mean a ton. They’re so small you don’t realize how much you’ve eaten until you get up and suddenly the only thing you want to do is undo that damn pant button! Except you can’t because you’re in a public place and doing so is {probably} highly frowned-upon.
The sushi struggle – not as healthy as you might think
When I learned that sushi has sugar in it, however, our cravings for these cute rolls ended. Not gonna blame a foodie friend who shared his amazing recipe for Avocado Mango Sushi with us… but thanks to him I swore off going out for sushi. Actually, it’s also thanks to him that I appreciate making my own rolls at home where I know exactly what’s in them, how they’re made, and the quality of the ingredients used.
Despite all the good that comes from making your own sushi, I still wasn’t happy with the sugar part to make the sticky rice. Yes homemade sushi is so good and way better than eating it out, but it wasn’t good enough for me.
Fast forward to today: the best and healthiest sugar free sushi recipe!
I called them Hulk Maki Rolls because well, they remind me of The Incredible Hulk, with his super buff and strong physique, green colored body, and black hair. My Maki rolls are the food version of The Hulk! They’re mean and green thanks to powerful Spirulina and they’re looooaded with protein. If you’re allergic to crustaceans, then either sub the cooked shrimp for more cucumber or another vegetable like carrots.
If you haven’t heard of Spirulina
Spirulina is a blue-green algae usually sold in powder form. I’ve been using it to make foods for my kids like pancakes and waffles, and they absolutely love the green. Truthfully, I think that’s all they care about because obviously kids don’t pay attention to nutritional values of foods… they just want what they’re eating to taste good!
Click here to learn more about Spirulina and to see if it’s right for you.
The only thing is you’re gonna have to get over the smell – it’s a bit foul smelling. Well, it smells like seaweed which is what it is!
Because of its distinct seaweed/ocean-y smell, it works perfectly in this recipe. It adds another layer of flavor; when you think to yourself “there’s a delicious something – I can’t put my finger on it” – it’s the Spirulina ;) Keep the secret between us though, k?
Fair warning, it’s a bit pricey… but worth it!
If it’s hard to find Spirulina, feel free to use another natural color like beet powder, which will turn your sushi into a pretty pink! Maybe the female version of Hulk ;) or omit the color part completely. It won’t affect the overall recipe!
Healthy sugar free sushi is a thing!
These Hulk Maki Sushi are going to become a favorite with your family and friends. They’re so easy to make – you’ll feel confident in your sushi-making abilities, I promise :) They’re loaded with protein and good-for-you ingredients, vitamins and minerals, plus they’re green and their bite-size portions make them the perfect finger food for any occasion. Parties, St. Patrick’s Day, birthdays, and absolutely everyday!
And I didn’t even get to the best part: they’re sugar freeeeeee!!! That’s right, these makis are naturally sweetened using honey! Here’s to eating guilt free :D
Quick Spicy Mayo
It’s going to knock your socks off! Not crazy spicy but just enough kick to savour every morsel of these Hulk Maki Sushi. Simply made using vegan mayo (link to the brand I buy in the recipe card) as the base and a dash of this and that to make the potion perfect ;) Your taste buds are going to love it.
Why I know you’re going to love this healthy sugar free sushi recipe…
These incredibly delicious and healthy Hulk Maki Sushi are free from:
- dairy
- egg
- peanut
- tree nuts
- wheat/gluten
- fish
- soy
- artificial dyes
- sugar
Hope you love making the Hulk Maki Rolls and eating them as much as we do!
When you try this recipe, let me know what you think by leaving me a comment here and don’t forget to rate the recipe whatever you think it deserves as this helps Google find me (apparently I’m lost somewhere in the cloud lol) and I’m trying to get its attention!
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Happy healthy sugar free sushi making!! xx
Hulk Maki with Spicy Mayo (Healthy Sugar Free Sushi Rolls!)
Ingredients
Naturally Sweetened Sticky Rice
- 1 C short grain rice - not cooked, rinse well under cold water until water runs clear
- 1 1/2 C water
- 1 1/2 Tsp spirulina powder
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 1 1/2 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 1/2 Tbsp veggie oil, I use grape seed oil
- 1 Tsp sea salt
Stuffing/Toppings
- 1/2 - 1 english cucumber, cut into thin-ish strips
- 1/2 - 1 C cooked baby shrimp, omit if allergic
- 1 avocado, somewhat thinly sliced
- 3 - 3 1/2 nori sheets, left whole or cut in half. Find them at your health food store or asian markets
- sesame seeds for garnish
Spicy Mayo
- 1/4 C Plus 2 Tbsp Vegenaise, or vegan mayo of choice
- 1 Tsp sriracha sauce
- 1/4 Tsp Tamari sauce
- Pinch smoked paprika
Instructions
Naturally Sweetened Sticky Rice
- In a medium sized bowl, rinse rice under cold running water until the water runs clear. Drain water.
- Then, using a pot or saucepan, add rice, water, and spirulina powder, and bring to a boil. As soon as it starts boiling, cover and reduce heat to low and allow to cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and leave covered for 5-10 minutes. Allow rice to cool at least just enough to safely handle without burning yourself.
- In a small saucepan, heat together honey, vinegar, oil, and salt, stirring constantly until honey melts. Remove from heat.
- Place rice in a glass or wood bowl (anything but metal because it alters the taste - not good!) and add the honey mixture. Using a spoon or fork, gently and briskly stir the rice until ingredients are fully incorporated. Your rice is ready!
The Set Up
- Have all your ingredients ready along with a bowl with cold water and your bamboo mat beside you.
- Using the bamboo mat, place nori sheet rough side up and taking a handful of rice, spread it in a thin even layer, leaving about 1" on the end that's away from you. Dip your hands in the water to help prevent rice from sticking to you and ease the spreading on the nori. Sprinkle with some sesame seeds then taking the empty (no-rice) end, gently pick up the nori sheet and turn it over so that the rice is now at the bottom and the empty end is facing you.
- Arrange cucumbers in an even row roughly in the middle but a bit closer to you. Place shrimp beside the cucumber and finally arrange sliced avocados on top.
- Next, using the bamboo mat, gently but firmly begin to roll the nori and when you get to the filling (the veggies and shrimp), try to tuck the nori under as you continue to gently roll your sushi. If you need to stop and adjust the tightness go ahead. Continue rolling and using the bamboo mat as a guide. Once sushi is completely rolled up, remove mat from underneath rolled sushi, place it on top of sushi and carefully apply some even pressure across the entire roll to help shape and further tighten the maki.
- Repeat steps above until all of the rice is used up.
- Using a sharp knife, cut even pieces using a see-saw motion. Place on serving plate and serve immediately alone or with the spicy mayo. Otherwise refrigerate in a lidded container.
Spicy Mayo
- Place your ingredients in a bowl and whisk by hand until fully combined. Serve with Hulk Maki Rolls or anything else!
Notes
larger sushi roll using whole sheets
Smaller sushi roll using half sheets
This sounds so yummy but just be careful calling it soy-free. Tamari is soy-based. :)
Thanks!
The sushi recipe is soy free. And you’re right, tamari is soy-based and that’s mentioned in notes – thanks for the feedback Kate!
I appreciate the effort but there is not much difference between refined sugar and honey once it goes into your body. It still spikes blood glucose so this wouldn’t be suitable for someone who is diabetic or trying to keep their sugar intake low.
Hey Alex! Thanks for your comment. I agree that the body processes honey the same way it processes sugar and every other food for that matter. The key difference between honey and refined sugar is one is natural, full of antioxidants and nutrients, while the other is highly processed and has no nutritional value.
And although there’s absolutely no mention anywhere in this recipe that it’s suitable for diabetics, honey is actually not as “bad” as refined sugar is for those who have diabetes. Everyone who follows any recipe needs to do their research and make the best possible decision based on their health needs. Thanks for stopping by!
I’m interested in making this for my family. When do I add the spirulina powder? With the rice or the saucepan with honey?
You could do either, but I would add it to the rice when you cook it. Thanks for bringing this to my attention, Jené, I didn’t realize the instruction isn’t in there! I’ll fix it right away. Let me know if you have any other questions xx