Spring Rolls w/ Sweet + Spicy Almond Sauce
Easy to make plant based Spring Rolls with veggies + delicious dipping sauce. These have all the satisfying crunch & the delicious dipping sauce is a treat while also being full of protein, calcium & good satisfying fats. In addition, including organic wild rice to these rolls is an excellent way to add a nutrient dense, low glycemic filling food to your rolls which is high in protein & fiber. Foods such as wild rice rich in magnesium help support healthy thyroid function & help to keep blood sugar in check to avoid peaks & crashes. Soaking grains such as this wild rice not only cuts down the cooking time considerably, but also makes them easier to digest & removes some of the naturally occurring phytic acid which can otherwise reduce mineral absorption during the meal.
GF | DF | V
SPRING ROLLS
Ingredients
makes about 8-16 rolls (depending size of papers*)
1 bunch organic carrots - heirloom carrots if possible
1 small head organic purple cabbage
1 organic bell pepper - red, orange etc.
1 organic cucumber
1 organic, firm, just ripe avocado
1 bunch organic cilantro
1 bunch organic mint
organic black sesame seeds
*spring roll rice paper wrapper 6” or 12” diameter organic pack. One with just rice, cassava + water (no preservatives)
optional 1 cup organic wild rice - soaked in filtered water over night*
Sweet + Spicy Almond Sauce - recipe below.
optional fresh mango, edible flowers; nasturtiums, pansies, lavender, arugula flowers
Method
Prepare the veggies.
Carrots: scrub + julienne. Alternatively, carrot ribbons made with a vegetable peeler or ideally a julienne peeler can do the trick quickly. Set aside. Carrot tops can be used for another recipe such as pesto or composted.
Purple Cabbage : peel away the outer leaves & then cut the cabbage head in half. Place the flat side down & thinly slice the cabbage. Set aside. (I like to put a little squeeze of lime over the top here)
Bell Pepper : wash + dry then cut lengthwise, top to bottom in half. Remove seeds & compost those with the stem. Lay skin side down & cut in thin strips. Set aside.
Cucumber : wash + dry the cucumber - leave the skin on if possible for more nutrient dense nourishment including Vitamin K. Try cutting with the rolling technique, or julienne with peeler.
Mint + Cilantro : wash + dry. Cut off stems and compost. set aside mint & cilantro leaves. Leaving the tender top portion of the stem on some sprigs works for this recipe.
Avocado : wash + dry avocado, then cut in half lengthwise, top to bottom. Give a little twist to help the two sides part & with a sharp knife, remove the seed & compost. From here, either lay the avocado flesh side down and peel away the skin, cutting lengthwise into strips about 1/4” - 1/2” thick (this will yield a cleaner edge), or cut the avocado flesh into strips while still in the skin & then scoop out with a large spoon. When adding wild rice to the rolls, no need to peel or slice the avocado. Simply scoop out the flesh from skin, add the flesh to the bowl with rice and mash together with a fork to combine. Set aside.
*For the Rice. Rinse 1 cup organic wild rice then add to a bowl & cover with filtered water by an inch or two. Let soak, covered over night. (1 cup uncooked wild rice will yield about 3 1/2 cups cooked rice which is more than enough for the rolls. Save extra wild rice prepared here to go with another dish as meal prep) When ready, drain well. Bring a pot with a lid filled with 1 1/4 cups cool water to a boil on the stovetop. Once boiling, add rice to the pan, stir once and cover. Turn down the heat and leave to cook about 15-20 minutes. Turn off heat and let sit with lid on for a few minutes - this allows the rice to absorb water and makes for a softer texture. set aside to cool.
Get Ready to Roll
Once veggies are prepared, set everything nearby your clean work surface. Fill a plate or bowl with warm water (something with raised edges that will fit your rice paper). Soak the paper for a few seconds (5-10 seconds) until pliable, then lay on work surface. Sprinkle paper with a light dusting of black sesame seeds, then on the 1/3 rd of rice paper closest to yourself, arrange cilantro, mint or flowers in a line parallel to the way the paper will be rolled. Pile veggies + avocado or rice with avocado if using, in a line on top, leaving a bit of space at the edges to fold the sides in and roll. Roll the edge closest to yourself up and over the veggies, then roll the sides in. Next, continue to roll until the edges are all secure. Adjust as needed - this will get easier and more familiar after a time or two. Roll + Repeat.
SWEET + SPICY ALMOND SAUCE
Ingredients
makes ~8oz sauce
1/4 c Organic Almond Butter (Ideally raw organic with no other ingredients)
1 T coconut aminos organic
2 T organic lime juice + zest of 1 lime - I like to use a micro plane
1 T organic pure maple syrup
1/4 t to 1/2 t cayenne pepper organic (adjust for heat of cayenne and desired spiciness)
1-4 T hot water to thin (to desired thickness)
Add almond butter, coconut aminos, lime juice and zest, maple and cayenne to a mixing bowl & whisk well to combine.* Slowly add hot water a little at a time while whisking. Add more water to desired thickness for dipping or drizzling. Adjust for flavor - add more maple for sweetness, cayenne for spiciness, lime for acidity. Store in an airtight jar such as a mason jar in the fridge for up to 3 days.
*mixing in a a high powered blender or processor does not yield the same result. Stick with the bowl and whisk here.