Almond Avocado Spring Rolls

This is serious health food. It is loaded with fresh, raw vegetables potent with nutrients and made palatable through the magic of two sauces laden with healthy fats. If you are looking to get your body back into top shape after holiday feasting, make more room on your plate for raw vegetables. They are an integral part of the diet because of their vitamins, minerals and antioxidants which all support functions throughout the body. Beyond this, they can also enhance digestion because contain something called enzymes. Simply, enzymes are protein-based molecules that carry out chemical reactions in living cells. Proper digestion requires breaking food down to a molecular level then filtering out what we can use and distributing different components to different parts of the body where and when needed. Enzymes play a huge role in each of these processes, they are the catalysts that get every action going.

The bad news is that long term stress, poor dietary habits and pollution all decrease the amounts of enzymes that our body naturally produces and cooking food destroys the enzymes it contains. Some obvious symptoms of enzyme deficiency are fatigue, a weak immune system, weight gain and of course, digestive issues. The best dietary remedy is incorporating some raw produce. Generally it is easier to digest vegetables that have been lightly steamed but as long as you chew them thoroughly your body will be able to get what it needs out of them. The main carbohydrate digesting enzyme (vegetables are mostly carbs), called amylase, starts working in the mouth so adequate chewing both breaks the food down more so the digestive organs have less work and the amylase has a bit more time to do its job. In the winter, raw vegetables can be very cooling so lately I have been getting my raw veggies in through the form of spring rolls. The wrapping has some extra carbs to add substance and I use lots of sauce, two types in this case, to add healthy fats. In the winter we do need more fats so they should not be feared, even with New Years resolutions in place. Any vegetables that you like the taste of work, just load up on the leafy green vegetables. If you like radishes and garlic they are especially good options because the sulfur they contain helps the liver with detoxification, another digestive component that can often be overburdened; and their distinctive flavors nicely contrast against the more bland vegetables.

For a step by step photo tutorial on rolling spring rolls, check out my last spring roll post here.

Almond Avocado Spring Rolls
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Serves: 2-3
INGREDIENTS:
  • 6 rice paper sheets
  • 4 cups mixed greens
  • 1 carrot, julienned
  • 1 cup radishes, thinly sliced
  • ½ cucumber, peeled and julienned
  • ½ red pepper, julienned
  • ⅛ red onion, thinly sliced
  • Almond sauce
  • 2 tablespoons almond butter
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • ½ lime, juiced
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup
  • 1-2 dashes of cayenne
  • Avocado sauce
  • 1 avocado
  • 2 tablespoons water (or keep adding more to thin out to desired consistency)
  • ½ lime, juiced
  • 1 teaspoon green onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • Sea salt and black pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Mix all the ingredients for the two sauces together in separate bowls and set aside.
  2. The rolls have to be made one at a time and made quickly. Start by fully submerging the first rice paper sheet in a large plate of water for 4-5 seconds then place it on a kitchen towel. Layer ⅙ of the filling ingredients and a spoonful of the almond sauce in the middle of the sheet and flip the bottom over, then the sides and finally roll the filled bottom part to the top edge. Be sure to make the folds as tight as possible. The rice paper will continue to get softer once it is out of the water so work quickly. It should stick to itself very easily, if not use your fingers to rub a bit more water along the exposed surface and it will soften up and become more pliable in a matter of seconds. Repeat for the remaining rolls and roll them over when plating so the side that started as the bottom is now the top.
  3. Fresh spring rolls are best when eaten right away. If you want to make them in advance wrap them in damp paper towel and cover with plastic wrap to keep the rice paper from drying out. Serve with the avocado sauce for dipping.


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