Rainbow spring rolls
Rainbow spring rolls

Photo credit: Ingrid DeHart

As we move into cooler fall temperatures here in Colorado, I start to crave heavier, warmer foods. Even so, I feel at my best if I maintain a certain amount of raw food in my diet. These Raw Rainbow Spring Rolls are a fresh and satisfying summer dish filled with colorful, crunchy vegetables, avocado and herbs that can be enjoyed year-round.

Rainbow spring rolls

Photo credit: Ingrid DeHart

Raw spring rolls are popular in southern Asian cuisine and are typically accompanied by a number of different dipping sauces – one light and one spicy. In this particular recipe, which was shared with us by Ingrid DeHart over at Eat Well, Enjoy Life, there is a rich almond butter sauce and a lighter Asian dipping sauce. Feel free to choose just one or try both when making this recipe.

Try using a variety of different vegetables for this dish to let the colorful vegetables shine through. When sliced super thin, the raw yellow beets and red radishes become pliable enough to fold into the roll along with purple cabbage, orange carrots, green sunflowers sprouts and lettuce. You can even add avocado for creaminess and basil for a fresh, herbal flavor.

Ingrid’s spring rolls are gluten-free, peanut-free, and free from refined, white sugar. This recipe is a very clear example of an easy-to-prepare raw food dish that can carry you all the way through the winter season due to the heavy, warming nature of the dipping sauces. Give it a try and let us know what you think!

Rainbow spring rolls

Photo credit: Ingrid DeHart

Makes: 12 rolls, 4 servings

Preparation time is estimated at 20 to 30 minutes from beginning to end.

This is a great raw food recipe for when you’re short on time and attracts a lot of attention at communal meals due to the bright, varied colors of the rolls.

The first one you roll may not be perfect, but once you get the hang of it they come out beautifully. Be sure to spread the vegetables out wide enough so that your spring rolls are about 3 1/2 inches wide after they are rolled up. The rice paper is sticky enough to hold together once rolled.

Expert tip: Prepare your sauce first to let the flavors develop while you cut the vegetables. When laying out the vegetables, layer different ones on the bottom to give variety in the final appearance. Serve the rolls with one or both dipping sauces.

Raw Rainbow Spring Rolls (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

Ingredients

  • Almond Dipping Sauce
  •  
  • ½ cup almond butter
  • 3 tablespoons wheat free soy sauce or coconut aminos
  • 4 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1-2 tablespoons coconut sugar
  • 1 serrano chili or thai chili, stemmed and thinly sliced (optional)
  •  
  • Asian Dipping Sauce
  •  
  • 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons wheat free soy sauce or coconut aminos
  • 1/2 teaspoon coconut sugar
  • 1 scallion, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 serrano chile, stemmed and very thinly sliced (optional)
  •  
  • Vegetable Rolls
  •  
  • 1 yellow beet, scrubbed and very thinly sliced
  • 2 radishes, very thinly sliced
  • 2 large carrots, julienned or shredded
  • 2 cups purple cabbage, very thinly sliced
  • 1 ½ cups sunflower sprouts or other sprouts
  • 4 lettuce leaves, torn
  • 1 avocado, sliced
  • 24 small basil leaves
  • 12 Vietnamese spring roll rice wrappers

Instructions

  1. For the almond and asian dipping sauces, combine all ingredients in two separate medium bowls and whisk until smooth, then transfer to a serving dish.
  2. For the vegetable rolls, first prepare the vegetables. Slice the beets and radishes very thin (a mandoline is very helpful here). Julienne the carrots, thinly slice the cabbage, tear the lettuce and thinly slice the avocado. Put all the vegetables into separate bowls.
  3. Fill a large shallow bowl with hot water.
  4. Soak 1 rice paper wrapper at a time in the water for 20 seconds until just pliable.
  5. Spread the wrapper on a work surface. Put some of the beets, cabbage, sprouts, lettuce, avocado and basil in the middle.
  6. Fold the sides inward and tightly roll the wrapper up round the filling.
  7. Serve with rolls with the dipping sauce.
https://www.truewellth.org/raw-rainbow-spring-rolls-vegan-gluten-free

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