Spring Rolls

My daughter and her family were here recently for a visit and I learned that my plant based diet can be controlled while cooking for a variety of tastes and ages.  My daughter was one of the driving forces behind my journey into veganism but she has decided for a variety of reasons that it is too complicated for her life style. But she is happy with adapting a vegetarian diet and I think she will be successful in that direction. Leaving the dairy in her diet is going to make it easier in her household.

My main concern before their visit was if I was going to be bumped off track.....cooking for a five year old, a seven year old, and a son-in-law that is supportive of my efforts but is not heading in a plant based direction. Not everything I cooked was a hit, and I admit that I planned foods that were not too radical to avoid the look of horrors. But I was pleased with the reaction to many items that they tried.

Spring rolls are easy to make and have a low fat content.  We added some Sesame Noodles and dinner was ready! I adapted this recipe from http://www.fortheloveofcooking.com/  where egg roll wrappers were used.  To adapt them to become vegan was easy by substituting the egg roll wrappers for spring roll wrappers.  I found the wrappers in a local Asian food market and then froze them until i needed them.  Hint:  the wrappers dry out very quickly.  Cover them with a damp dish towel while you work and this will keep them from sticking together.

SPRING ROLLS (about 14 pieces)
1 tsp olive oil
2 cups of savoy cabbage chopped thin ( i have also substituted regular green cabbage)
2 cups of shredded carrots
2 cups of bean sprouts
1 can of water chestnuts, chopped (optional...I'm not a fan so I leave them out)
2 Tbsp green onions sliced
1 tsp of grated ginger (i also use bottled ginger juice when I am lazy)
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp corn starch
1/4 cup water
Package of spring roll wrappers (you will need about 14.  Freeze the rest of the pkg)
Sweet chili dipping sauce ( or sweet and sour but I like the bite of the sweet chili sauce)

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Wait until the oil is hot.  Add the cabbage, sprouts, carrots, chestnuts (if using) and ginger and cook stirring frequently for 4-5 minutes.  Mix corn starch and water along with the soy sauce and add to the vegetable mixture. Add the green onions now too.  Stir until sauce thickens. Remove from heat and let mixture cool. (about 15 minutes)

Preheat over to 400 degrees.

Place a spring roll wrapper on the cutting board with one of the four corners facing you.  Place 2 Tbsp of the vegetable mixture on the center of the wrapper.  Fold up the bottom of the wrapper over the vegetables: then fold over the two sides: then roll it up like a burrito.

Spray a cookie sheet with vegetable spray.  Place the spring rolls on the cookie sheet seam side down. Spray the tops of the rolls with additional spray.  Bake for 8 minutes and turn them and spray again with vegetable spray.  Bake for 5-7 minutes more.