Baked Vegetable Spring Rolls

 Sometimes I just want to eat junk food!  Whatever, I am human.  The only trouble is that since I eat healthy foods most of the time, junk food makes me feel like...well junk.  This spring roll recipe is a great compromise, it tastes like junk food, but is made mostly of healthy foods and is baked instead of fried.  Win!  I made a bunch of these hoping to freeze some for Super Bowl snacks, but my "taste tester" ate them all.  In all fairness they are freaking delicious, so I can't really blame him.

Anyway, I figured that I would get this recipe up in time for the Super Bowl so that you can squeeze a few plant based items onto your menu of game day snacks.  This is a more fun way to serve carrots and celery too, so I am sure your Super Bowl party guests will be excited to see these instead of a boring veggie platter (no offense to veggie platters, obviously I love them).

Also, a big THANK YOU to everyone who has been leaving comments and shooting me emails lately! You guys are great.  Feel free to leave some of your snack ideas in the comments of this post, I would love to see what you come up with.

Here is what we are making...don't worry, they are easier than they look.  I included a video to help you out:

Spring Rolls

You will need:

1 head of cabbage, shredded*
2 carrots, shredded*
2 ribs of celery, shredded
6oz shitake mushrooms, chopped, woody stems removed
1/4 cup scallions, chopped
1 cup mung bean sprouts
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce or liquid aminos
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 package of spring roll wrappers
cooking spray


*Feeling lazy? Pick up a package of coleslaw mix (just the shredded veggies, not dressed obviously) from the grocery store instead of shredding your own cabbage and carrots.  You will need about 4 cups of coleslaw mix.











Grab a large pan or wok, if you are cool enough to have one of those in your home, and throw in the mushrooms, carrots, scallions, garlic, and celery.  Once they are starting to sweat a bit stir in the cabbage, sprouts, vinegar, soy sauce, and pepper.  Let the cabbage cook through and make sure that everything is coated with the soy sauce and vinegar.

Take the pan off the heat and move it over to your work station.  It's time to make some spring rolls.










Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.  Take a cookie sheet and spray with cooking spray.  Put this near your work station too.




Now grab a wrapper and put about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the filling on the first 1/3 of the wrapper.  I use a small ice cream scoop to keep the amount of filling consistent.

Fold the bottom corner over the filling.









Tuck in the sides.

Roll towards the opposite corner and place on the cookie sheet seam side down.







Need to see that again?  Here is a quick video.

Line the spring rolls up on the cookie sheet and then spray the tops with cooking spray.  Bake them in a 400 degree F oven for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.

While they are baking, let's make a quick dipping sauce.

Soy and Sesame Dipping Sauce

You will need:

1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon siracha
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon agave nectar
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons scallions, chopped

 Whisk everything together in a bowl. Done!

If you bring these to your Super Bowl party and plop them down next to the chips and dip your friends will be impressed and love you forever.  I just ate them along side a salad tonight, whatever, don't judge.






By the way, if you have leftover filling it is great on a salad or in some broth as a soup.




Enjoy :)


Happy eating and best health,

Dr. G