asian rice paper rolls

anytime

asian rice paper rolls with almond bliss dipping sauce

• Chef Fave

The amount of fillings you need to cut depends on how many rolls you want. These rolls don’t keep long once made, so make only what you need. Don’t overstuff them; you want them no more than two inches in diameter.

Rice paper for soft rolls

Warm water

your favorite fillings

Thin rice noodles, cooked according to package instructions

Napa cabbage and red cabbage, thinly sliced

Carrots, matchsticks

Basil, cilantro, mint

Bean sprouts

Pan-fried tofu or tempeh

Fruit (such as a mango, peach, or pear), sliced

Ripe avocado, sliced

almond bliss dipping sauce

makes about ¹⁄₂ cup

¹⁄₃ cup unsalted creamy almond butter

3 tablespoons tamari

3 tablespoons brown rice vinegar

2 tablespoons maple or brown rice syrup

1 teaspoon grated ginger

¹⁄₄ cup filtered water, as necessary, to obtain desired consistency

Prepare your spring roll station by getting all your equipment ready, including a bowl of water for dipping the rice paper in, a plate or cutting board to roll on, and a platter to put your finished rolls on.

Start by dipping the entire piece of rice paper in the water, then pulling it out right away (do not leave it sitting in water; it will soften up more as you work). Lay the rice paper on the plate and layer in ingredients toward the bottom side closest to you in the middle, leaving a couple of inches clear on either side of the veggies. Start rolling, holding the filling in place as you make a tight roll; be sure to tuck in sides near the beginning. Roll all the way up and set on a platter. Repeat until all ingredients are used.

Whisk together sauce ingredients until well combined.
 

blissful variation

Use the peanut sauce, on page 82, for a dipping sauce.

chinese cabbage roll-ups

chinese cabbage roll-ups

• Makes 6 servings

These are like the lettuce wraps I’ve had at Chinese restaurants. You can use lettuce or cabbage for the outside roll and your favorite veggie fillings.

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 cup carrots, julienne

1 cup zucchini, julienne

1 cup green cabbage, julienne (save big outside leaves for roll-ups)

1 garlic clove, minced (optional)

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced

6 mushrooms, sliced

2 tablespoons tamari

1 tablespoon cilantro, minced

1 cup soybean sprouts

6 large green cabbage leaves or lettuce leaves

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium flame. Stir-fry next six ingredients, adding one at a time in the order listed. Stir-fry until vegetables are bright and slightly crisp. Add tamari and cilantro; toss. Remove from heat, then stir in sprouts.

To assemble the wrap, fill cabbage or lettuce leaf and roll up, tucking in the bottom edge.

peanut sauce

• Makes about 1 cup

This is the perfect sauce to use for a soba noodle salad, as a dipping sauce for spring rolls, or as a sauce for stir-fried veggies. Add a bit more water and it’s great as a salad dressing!

¹⁄₂ cup unsalted creamy peanut butter

¹⁄₄ cup filtered water

2 tablespoons tamari

2 tablespoons brown rice vinegar

1 tablespoon maple or brown rice syrup

Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)

Whisk together all the ingredients or blend in a blender until well combined.

quick and easy nachos

• Makes 2 to 3 servings

Nachos are one of my all-time favorite comfort foods or junk foods, but this version is far healthier. If you want to make it super healthy, use the oil-free nacho cheeze sauce (recipe follows) rather than Daiya cheese. If you do this, skip the first step of melting the cheese in the oven.

And speaking of the sauce... you will be pleasantly surprised at how cheesy and delicious this sauce is without the guilt of regular cheese. My recipe tester warns to be careful not to eat the whole thing in one sitting, or you’ll get a tummy-ache. You’ve been warned!

2 handfuls tortilla chips (I like unsalted blue corn chips)

1 package Daiya cheese shreds or oil-free nacho cheeze sauce (recipe follows)

1 can (15 ounces) of your favorite vegan chili

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

Soy sour cream (optional)

Fire-roasted salsa (optional)

Green onions, chopped, for garnish

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Place tortilla chips in an ovenproof dish or baking sheet and sprinkle Daiya cheese all over. Bake for 12 minutes, or until cheese melts. While that is baking, make easy guacamole, on page 65.

Warm up vegan chili on the stovetop until hot. When the chips are done, spread them out on a plate and top with chili and fresh tomatoes. Serve with generous piles of easy guacamole, soy sour cream, and a side of fire-roasted salsa. Garnish with green onions.

oil-free nacho cheeze sauce

Makes about 1 cup

¹⁄₂ cup cashews, soaked 3 hours

¹⁄₃ cup slivered almonds, soaked 3 hours

5 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon tamari

1 tablespoon arrowroot

¹⁄₂ cup unsweetened rice milk

Dash black pepper

Dash coriander

Dash paprika

Dash turmeric

Dash cayenne (optional for a spicy cheeze)

Drain nuts. In a food processor, combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. Be sure to scrape down the edges of the bowl a few times to incorporate all the ingredients. Season to taste if you want it saltier. Cook in a small saucepan over a low flame until it thickens and heats through, stirring continuously.
 

blissful suggestion

Drizzle on top of nachos, use as a dipping sauce or a topping for steamed veggies.

traditional miso

• Makes 4 to 5 servings

This is the most healing and traditional way of making miso soup. I like to include a root vegetable or two and a leafy green vegetable for added flavor and nutrients.

5 cups filtered water

1 to 2 tablespoons wakame, cut into small pieces

1 to 2 dried shiitake mushrooms

¹⁄₂ cup daikon, small dice

¹⁄₃ cup carrot, diced

1 cup leafy green of your choice: kale, Napa cabbage, collard greens, etc.

1 to 2 tablespoons barley miso

In a saucepan, bring water, wakame, mushrooms, and veggies to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about five to ten minutes. Remove mushrooms and allow to cool to the touch. Cut off woody stem and discard. Slice the caps into thin strips and put back into soup. Turn off flame. In a small bowl or tea cup, mix miso together with about ¹⁄₄ cup of the soup broth until well dissolved. Stir back into the pot and let sit for a few minutes. Stir well and serve.
 

blissful tip

If it needs to be saltier for you, instead of adding more miso, which can be expensive, you can add a pinch of sea salt.

easy cheezy broccoli soup

• Makes 4 to 6 servings

Broccoli and cheese just go so well together. But since I don’t eat cheese anymore I use nutritional yeast for this great anytime soup.

1 tablespoon oil or ¹⁄₂ cup water

1 cup onion, diced

2 cups Yukon gold potato, cubed

Pinch sea salt

1 tablespoon dried basil

¹⁄₃ cup nutritional yeast

3 cups broccoli, chopped

5 cups filtered water

2 bay leaves

6 ounce carton unsweetened plain soy yogurt

Sea salt, to taste

Fresh basil, chiffonade for garnish

Heat oil or water in a stockpot over medium high flame. Sauté onion and potato with pinch of salt for two minutes covered. Add basil and nutritional yeast and sauté two more minutes. Add water if potatoes begin to stick. Stir in broccoli, water, and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low flame until potatoes are tender, about ten minutes. Remove bay leaves and cool slightly.

Puree soup in batches in a blender and return to pot. Stir in yogurt and heat over medium flame. Season to taste. Garnish with fresh basil and serve hot (for how to chiffonade your basil, see cutting tips on page 27). You also can serve this soup with a dollop of cashew-garlic aioli, on page 156.