Vegetarian Rice Paper Wraps

July 13, 2012 | 2 Comments

I left the house this morning with my girls thinking I would be making a lovely savory onion tart with a brown rice crust for dinner. When we got home at 4:30, It was around 80 degrees F. outside and about 95 degrees F. inside. There was no way I was cooking anything in the oven today.

We live in a home with three floors, built in 1914. We do not have air conditioning, and only have one fan on the ceiling in our living room. When the outside heats up, the inside really heats up and the oven and anything else that contributes to a “hot house” is pretty much off limits, unless it is a food emergency.

What on earth is a food emergency, you ask. If I am craving ooey gooey chocolate brownies, or my favorite chocolate chip cookies, or my second favorite chocolate chip cookies. Anyway, sadly today did not constitute a food emergency.

As I was sitting in the shade watching my girls play in their pool with water buckets, I was thinking about salads and raw vegetables. At 6pm when I went inside, I looked through our pantry and stumbled upon an unopened package of rice paper wrappers.

As far back as I can remember, spring rolls have been my favorite appetizer to eat, out at a Thai, Vietnamese or Chinese restaurant.

About once or twice a month I make these inspired vegetarian wraps with a light dipping sauce for my girls and Dominic for a quick lunch.

It was a perfect dinner choice for today’s heat, so I got started right away prepping my veggies and tofu and within a half hour we were enjoying vegetarian rice paper wraps.

If you are a meat lover, these wraps lend well to leftover meats if you have them. Feel free to add thinly sliced steak, chicken, and pork, for added meaty deliciousness.

Vegetarian Rice Paper Wraps

Recipe type: Main Course

Author: Jillian

Ingredients

8-10 rice paper wrappers
2 large carrots peeled and grated on a box grater. (If the carrots are from your garden, or a reliable source(CSA, friends garden)wash them well, and grate with peel on for extra nutrients and fiber)
1 cucumber peeled and grated on box grater, or sliced, making 3-4 inch strips
1 whole ripe avocado, sliced
1/2 block of organic firm tofu, cut into 14-20 3-4 inch strips
1/4 apple grated, or sliced and put in a little orange juice, so it does not brown
Baby lettuce leaves, rinsed and dried
cilantro leaves, rinsed and dried
Possible Additions: thinly sliced sweet onion, mushrooms, fennel, pear, sprinkle of sesame seeds, chives, parsley…
For Dipping Sauce:
2-3 Tbsp seasoned rice wine vinegar
1/2 tsp Braggs Aminos
1-2 drops of hot sauce(we use Siracha)
Pinch of beet sugar or organic cane sugar)
Grind of black pepper

Instructions

Prepare your ingredients, and place on large plate or cutting board.
Use wide bowl filled with 2-3 cups cold water, and put 2 rice paper wraps at a time in bowl to soak for a few minutes until pliable.
Use a large wooden cutting board to assemble wraps, as it will soak up excess water and make the process easier.
Use pictures below to assist you in the assembling process.
Dipping Sauce
Use small bowl.
Add seasoned rice wine vinegar, Braggs Aminos, ground pepper, pinch of beet, or organic cane sugar, dash of favorite hot sauce(less or none for kiddies).
Dip.Eat.Enjoy.

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Tags: avocado, baby lettuce, Braggs Aminos, carrots, Cilantro, cucumber, grated apple, rice paper wrappers, Siracha, spring rolls, tofu

Categories: Gluten Free Recipes, Lunches, Main Courses, MostPopular, Potluck Recipes, Snacks, Summer Recipes, Techniques, Vegetarian Recipes

2 Responses so far.

Dara Weyna says:

July 14, 2012 at 4:53 am

I want them….now.

Reply
- Jillian says:
  
  July 25, 2012 at 6:09 am
  
  Come on over and I will make them for you!
  
  Reply