Spring rolls...so easy!

Our laptop is back and working wonderfully! 

How's everyone's summer going?  We are really having a nice one.

My son, Keaton, left last week to spend time with his grandparents.  He comes back home on Thursday. 

Oh how we miss him!  In the mean time with him being gone Dave and I have been able to hang out together which is really nice.  We spent one day at Avila Beach.  Saturday I spent the day with a friend at the Santa Barbara Summer Solstice...everyone was so nice and check this out...One of the food vendors there was Strictly Vegan Jamaican Cuisine.  They were very busy which was great to see.  I had the wrap with Jerk Gardein strips.  The wraps are loaded with vegetables and not too much gardein which I really liked. They top it off with a mango type salsa and serve with chunks of plantain. Yum!  It was fun people watching too.  Sat. night Dave and I went out to the brewery in town, listened to good music and ate the best sweet potato fries..ever!  They were crispy and crunchy, due to just enough sea salt.  Oh and of course we had us some beer!  Good times.

Now that we are having warm weather I've been cooking alot lighter. 

I finally made spring rolls.  I don't know why it took me so long because they are so easy to make.

Softened rice paper wraps are filled with marinated and grilled tofu, a mixture of julienned vegetables...red bell pepper, carrots, scallions, daikon, cucumber, cilantro and pea shoots.  These vegetables were first julienned, put in a bowl,  then mixed with a lime marinade.The marinade consists of lime juice, liquid aminos(coconut aminos, soy sauce or tamari), ginger, agave, sesame oil. 

These are served with a side of peanut sauce.  In a blender add organic peanut butter, ginger, garlic, braggs liquid aminos,  cilantro, red onion, lime juice, sesame oil, a dash of sriracha hot sauce and water to thin out.   With the leftover sauce you can use on noodles and such.

Have you made spring rolls before?  If so what do you like to put in them?\

Enjoy your sunny day!

Soba Noodles with Peanut Sauce

Not much to really say just Soba Noodles, peanut butter, oh yum! This was a treat because I haven't made it in so long. The recipe is taken from The Candle Cafe Cookbook. It makes so much sauce that I have to down size it and change it up a bit.

Here our my changes:

Peanut sauce

1 C. organic smooth peanut butter

1/4 C. brown rice vinegar

1 small red onion, finely chopped

1/3 C. cilantro, chopped

1 1/2Tbsp. fresh ginger, finely chopped

1 Lg. garlic clove, chopped

1/2 tsp. crushed red chili flakes

1 T. Ketchup

1/4 C. Braggs Liquid Aminos, soy sauce, or shoyu

1 tsp. hot sauce or more to your liking.

1/4 C. agave or maple syrup or brown rice syrup

1 T. sesame oil

Vegetables:

8 oz. firm tofu, diced andbroiled just to get a bit brown or not /or tempeh

1 Tbsp. Olive oil

2 tsp. minced garlic

2 tsp. minced fresh ginger

1 1/2 C. shredded green cabbage

1 C. Bok Choy, , sliced

1 C. sugar snap peas

1 LG. Red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 1/2 C. chopped brocolli

8 oz. shitake mushrooms, sliced

1/2 C. green onions

2 tsp toasted sesame oil

Prepare soba noodles according to packaging. Once cooked, rinse in cool water to stop cooking and set aside. In a blender, blend all of the sauce ingredients together and set aside. In a small casserole dish I put the diced tofu in and coat with olive oil, then broil on low just until slightly brown. Set aside. In large saute pan heat olive oil then add garlic, ginger and bell peppers for about 2 minutes. Next add the rest of the vegetables and only cook for a couple more minutes, you want the vegetables to still be a bit crisp. Add the tofu or tempeh and peanut sauce and continue to saute for a few more minutes. Next stir in the noodles and take off heat. This is where you can add more soy and sesame oil and serve.