Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce

I love Spring Rolls.  So fresh and great for summer since you don't need to heat anything up!  And since we've been in the upper 90s all week that is a very good thing!  Plus they are so versatile.  You can load them up with whatever you like.  Make sure you get the rice papers and not the egg roll wrappers.  Egg roll wrappers are usually fried or baked after rolling while the rice paper for spring rolls is just soaked for a few seconds in hot water to get it soft and pliable.  No need to bake or fry.  Make as many or as few as you'd like.  Just prepare enough veggies accordingly.  Spring Roll Wrappers last indefinitely in their dry state so you can use what you need and save the rest for later.  I got the peanut sauce recipe from my sister, Kirsten.  Enjoy!

Spring Rolls

Spring Roll Wrappers (Rice Paper)
1 block firm or extra-firm Tofu, pressed and then cut into thin strips
1-2 Tbsp. soy sauce
Greens:  spinach, red leaf lettuce, green leaf lettuce, Napa cabbage, etc. -washed, dried, and torn into strips
Herbs:  fresh cilantro leaves, fresh basil leaves, fresh mint leaves-washed, dried and coarsely chopped
Veggies:  Carrots, cucumber, snow peas, mushrooms, bean sprouts, broccoli slaw, red onion, green onions, etc. -cut in very this strips (except snow peas which I just leave whole.)


-Press tofu to remove moisture.  Cut into thin strips.  You can optionally pan fry the tofu (and then sprinkle with soy sauce) to get a crispy outside but I usually skip this.  Sprinkle with soy sauce and set aside.  


-Fill a pie plate or wide bowl with hot water. Immerse rice paper in warm water for a few seconds to soften them up just until soft but still flexible (work with one rice paper at a time, being gentle as they break easily when brittle). Remove from water and place rice paper on a kitchen towel and let rest approximately 30 seconds until it's more pliable.  


-Arrange greens, herbs, veggies and tofu on bottom 1/3 of rice paper.  Make sure the ingredients are evenly spread out from one end to the other.   


-Pressing down on the filling with your fingers (pressing down on the ingredients is particularly important because it tightens the roll), fold the bottom end of the sheet (side nearest you) over the top of the fillings and roll into a cylindrical shape halfway.


-Fold the left and right sides inward and complete rolling the remaining half (If rice paper is too dry to seal, moisten unsealed edges with a little more hot water). Transfer summer roll to a plate, seam-side down, and cover with dampened paper towels. Make additional roll in the same manner.

-To serve, halve rolls on the diagonal and place the rolls upright on your serving platter. Serve with your favorite dipping sauces.  For an appetizer, serve one or two halves per person. As a main course, serve at least six halves per person.  

Peanut Sauce
1/4 cup sweetener (whatever you like to use-sugar, honey, agave, etc.)  You might not need all the sweetener so start with half the amount and then add as desired.
1/4 cup peanut butter (creamy or crunchy work, I kind of like crunchy for the added crunch)
3 tbs soy sauce
5 tbs water
3 tbs cooking oil
1 or 2 cloves freshly pressed garlic cloves


In a small saucepan combine sauce ingredients, heat and stir until dissolved.

Honey-Roasted Walnuts

My sister Kirsten introduced this delicious method for glazing walnuts to me when she came and stayed with us to help me out for a few weeks during one of my pregnancies.  We ate like kings while she was here!  She's such a good cook. Her husband's a lucky guy...but I'm sure he already knows that ;)

Honey-Roasted Walnuts

Olive Oil

Honey

Walnuts

Heat a small amount of olive oil (depending on how many walnuts you're roasting) in skillet over medium heat.  Add walnuts.  Stir until heated.  They can burn quickly so keep an eye on them!  Drizzle a generous amount of honey over the walnuts and stir for about a minute or so.  Remove from heat.  Use for salads, snacks, or anything your heart desires!

Caramelized Onion Hummus

This is the hummus recipe I've been making lately. I combined several recipes that I thought looked "good" for this one that is "great"! The caramelized onions are what MAKE this! Mmmmm....If you've never tried hummus before or tried some that you just didn't like, give this one a try. My kids love it! Even my 10-month old! And you can feel good about what's in it. No preservatives like some of the ones you buy premade and you can control the salt. I want to try adding roasted red peppers to this recipe sometime. I think that would be very tasty! FYI: Tahini is a sesame paste made from ground up sesame seeds. You can buy tahini in the grocery store in the 'health food' section often by the natural peanut butters or at a health food store. One jar lasts a long time. I just keep it in my fridge. You'll definitely want to get some tahini to make your hummus. It makes all the difference! Serve hummus with fresh veggies and/or pita chips, smooth on a pita or tortilla and pile with your favorite veggies for a sandwich, or eat it by the spoonful! I like to add a spoonful on top of my salad instead of dressing. It's delicious! As a side note: For another way to use tahini--mix equal portions of tahini with natural peanut butter and use on sandwiches or to dip apples. It's really good!

Caramelized Onion Hummus

1 can garbanzo beans (chick peas), drain and rinse

1 Tbsp. olive oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 onion, diced

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup tahini

1 Tbsp. tamari or soy sauce (or to taste)

1/4-1/2 tsp. salt (to taste)

1/4 tsp. cumin

1/4 tsp. turmeric

1/4 tsp. coriander

1/2 tsp. sesame oil, optional

Saute onion and garlic in the olive oil until onions are caramelized. Set aside. In food processor or blender mix garbanzo beans, caramelized onions and garlic, tahini, lemon juice, tamari (or soy sauce), sesame oil, and spices. Blend until smooth. (The blender makes it more smooth and creamy but takes a lot more work!) I usually don't add more olive oil than the tablespoon I use to saute the onion but you can if you want. If it seems a little too thick I usually just add a tad bit of water. Adjust seasonings if desired. Refrigerate leftovers.