Spicy Vegetable Spring Rolls

Even though it's not spring, these could easily be called summer rolls. I love the cold, crisp vegetables when it's super hot outside. Everything is raw. This recipe doesn't call for much direction other than the rolling method and the sauce, which I made. You can totally use your favorite dipping confection if you have one that you like. But of course, I encourage you to experiment and make your own! Nut sauces are super easy and only require a few ingredients, most of which I think you probably already have in your pantry. You can get the rice paper wrappers and rice noodles at any health food or asian grocery store. And, as always, there is so much room here for personal modifications. I have made a million versions of these. You can add good quality shrimp or salmon or tuna to make it more like traditional sushi and you can substitute any of these vegetables for others that you prefer. Be adventurous!

INGREDIENTS
1 package rice paper wraps
rice noodles
vegetables of your choice
cucumber
bell pepper
carrot
napa cabbage
red cabbage
jalapeno
avocado
cilantro

SAUCE
peanut, almond or cashew butter
tamari or soy sauce
rice wine vinegar
sesame oil
honey, maple syrup or coconut sugar
lime juice
cilantro
crushed red pepper

DIRECTIONS
It doesn't get any easier than this. No heat, totally raw. It does require a little knife work, however. Everything works best when julienned which is a matchstick cut. You can do this with a mandolin or manually with a chef's knife.  Cut all of your vegetables into long, thin slices. Do the same with the fish if you're including that. Rice noodles are instant. You can do this first while you prep your filling. Cut the avocado into long pieces inside each half. The rice papers are hard in the package but get dipped in water for a few seconds to soften. Do them one at a time and assemble your rolls on a cutting board. It's like folding a burrito. Put everything in the lower third of the circle and then fold the ends over, then roll tight. That's it! The sauce assembly is just mixing everything together and adjusting the salty, sweetness. If you want it thicker, add more nut butter. Garnish with fresh cilantro or chives and devour!

ENJOY!

Cauliflower Curry with Red Quinoa and Crispy Tempeh

I know I just posted a curry recipe in my last post but if you read it, you'll understand my winter love affair with curry spices and it's cousins. It's warm, stimulating and linear with my dosha, vata. My palate goes through chapters and phases like other areas of my life, and I don't really crave curry any other time of the year. I can eat at the Thai restaurant whenever but I am seasonally drawn to make at home when I run colder than usual and I physically need those warming, herbal blends. One of my favorite memories is with my sister Amanda. She loves Thai food too and we would always dine together when she would visit from California. She's an Okie transplant and one very talented quilter - visit her site LOFIGIRL to see all of her amazing work! So this recipe is an adaptation from the hippie famous Moosewood Cookbook which I've had since I was 19. It's my favorite, worn - in recipe guide for vegetarian dishes. Seriously though, ANYONE can make this dish. It isn't complicated or fussy. You need a blender for the curry paste but if you don't have one, you can make it in a bowl. Simple ingredients that are super good for you. It's affordable to recreate, not cheap. These things are easy to find and you can make a million other delicious variations with them!

This recipe serves 4. Double the vegetables if you want to serve more. The paste recipe makes extra anyway and it can be stored in a jar in the refrigerator for later use, like sautes, dressings, salads or bakes.

INGREDIENTS

1|2 head organic cauliflower, separated into smallish florets

2 carrots, peeled and medium diced

1|2 yellow or white onion

2 - 3 cloves garlic

1|4 jalapeno or a pinch of coarse red flakes

1 - 2 potatoes ( sweet or yukon gold ) par boiled and set aside

3 cremini mushrooms 

handful of kale, chopped or chiffonade 

parsley and | or cilantro

plain, greek yogurt

toasted cashews 

pan fried tempeh or tofu or add chickpeas to the end of your saute

1|2 cup red quinoa or brown rice or millet, cooked

CURRY PASTE

1|2 cup plain, unsweetened shredded coconut

1|4 cup raw cashews, dry toasted

1 T raw sesame seeds, dry toasted

1 T whole mustard seed or mustard seed powder

1|2 t cumin

cayenne to taste 

2 cloves chopped garlic 

1 T fresh ginger, peeled and minced

big pinch allspice or cloves

1|4 c raw nuts - preferably cashews, but peanuts will work

1|2 cup filtered water as needed to make a good paste

*put everything in the blender, adding the water gradually, using just enough to make a paste and get everything moving. Store the leftover paste in a glass jar in the refrigerator. 

DIRECTIONS

Start cooking your grain in a medium saucepan, whether that's quinoa or brown rice or millet. Start your saute with the onions and carrots in a little olive oil until tender, about 10 minutes. Warm some olive oil in another pan. Cut your tempeh or tofu into rectangles and fry for 7 minutes on one side, then turn. Don't stir! On the second side, hit it with some Braggs or coconut aminos or tamari or soy sauce. It will season your tempeh or tofu and deglaze the pan, making it easier to turn. Add the cauliflower and mushrooms to the onions and carrots and cover. Add a splash of water if you're seeing brown on the bottom of the pan. That's deglazing. It's the good stuff - it's called 'fond' and you want to pull it up off the bottom to season your saute. Water or stock will 'deglaze' the pan and bring it from the surface for you. After about 10 minutes, stir in 2 tablespoons of the paste and a little water. Cover and simmer for another 10 minutes. Take off the lid and turn off the heat. Stir in the kale and parsley.  

Serve by putting a small, mounded spoonful of quinoa onto the plate. Press down gently in the middle. Place the curry inside the well and garnish with fresh chopped cilantro if you like it ( which you should learn to if you don't! ) and greek yogurt and toasted cashews, peanuts or pine nuts.

ENJOY!!