Lovely Summer Meal

Inspired by the Warm Spring Rolls recipe in Kim Barnouin's cookbook, I created these spring rolls for dinner last night. I really was planning on using the recipe in the book, but after cutting out some things and adding others, this is what I ended up with. I thought spring rolls would end up being a time consuming task, but with only serving 2 it really was pretty easy.

As a bonus, the vegan version is gluten free!

Saute one small head of cabbage, a package of baby bella mushrooms chopped, diced onion, and carrots cut into matchsticks. Saute them with a some water and add some freshly grated ginger, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes to taste.

For Matt's spring rolls I used Nasoya Egg Roll Wraps. These contain eggs, so are not vegan.

They were pretty easy to work with, just add some filling and roll up according to the back of the package.

For the vegan ones, I used rice paper wraps. These are sold in any Asian market as well as the world food section of grocery stores. They are packaged dried, so they will need to be softened up before the filling is added.

Put some water on a plate and then gently press a single wrap into the water on both sides. You don't need to do this for long as it softens up quick and will continue to soften out of the water as well.

Add some filling and wrap it up, making sure to tuck in the sides.

Usually spring rolls made with rice paper wraps are served cold, but with some experimentation, I discovered another lovely way to eat them. Rub some olive oil on each

spring roll, front, back, and sides. You could use a brush, or just dip a finger or two in some olive oil and rub it on that way. Place on a baking sheet and back for about 10 minutes at 400 degrees F. Check on them from time to time to make sure that the wraps do not get too crispy. They should be pliable and able to easily eat.

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce. Matt made a lovely peanut sauce to go with our spring rolls. Just mix some peanut butter with enough water to thin it down in a saucepan and season to your liking with soy sauce, fresh ginger, and red pepper flakes.

Delicious! I am looking forward to trying more filling ideas.