Vibrant Spring Roll

rice paper

Vibrant Spring Roll
Crazy busy week coming up as I document fashion week in NYC followed by a 5 day vegan baking boot camp course I'm attending. No matter how busy it is there's always room to squeeze in something healthy and fun - no need to be boring, which brings me to spring rolls, I love them and hadn't realized until recently how simple it is to make. I always imagined, like I did with sushi, that it was difficult and messy and something to look forward to when dining out - that's just silly. The difficulty was in my head. It’s pretty much like rolling a tortilla and making a burrito and this version is so colorful. This makes for a light lunch or appetizer and takes just a few minutes to assemble. 

I use the 8.5 in round spring roll wrapper it’s made of rice paper and purchased at the asian market or the specialty section of your grocer. I’ve seen them in two sizes and I like the larger one, it’s easier to stuff and roll. The paper is dry and stiff but once it’s dipped in water it starts to soften and becomes a little sticky which works to your advantage to seal the roll.

I used fresh grated veggie,s which I feel is easier to roll, cut and eat rather than using large chunks of vegetables.

Here’s what I used but feel free to choose your own

Ingredients

Grated carrot

Grated yellow squash

Grated purple cabbage

Cilantro

Avocado mashed

Instructions

1 .Dip the rice paper in a shallow plate of water leave it for 5 seconds and pull out while still a little stiff. It will continue to soften.

 2. Lay it on a large plate and add your fillings to the 1/3 top portion of the wrapper closest to you leaving enough free space left and right side of the wrapper, just like rolling a burrito. You need the ends to fold them in.

3. After adding the filling roll it over once and then tuck in both ends it’s sticky and will seal nicely, continue to roll keeping the ends tucked until you’ve reached the other side – seal it!

Either cut the roll in half or into bite size sushi pieces.

Use dipping sauce of your choice such as ones used in sushi bars or my recipe below

Tahini Dipping Sauce

2 tbsp noma shoyu, or soy sauce, or braggs aminos

1 heaping tbsp tahini or peanut butter

2 tbsp water

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp maple syrup

1 tbsp fresh ginger juice – grate ginger and squeeze juice

Variations

sautéd mushrooms

mashed cooked squash

sauted greens like spinach or kale