sesame

Summer Vegetable Nori Rolls with Ginger Tahini Dipping Sauce

summer vegetable nori rolls

Seattle is H.O.T. right now. Like, beyond hot. And the air is filled with smoke, sadly (BC fires galore). And we have zero air conditioning, along with 90% of Seattleites.

And in the midst of all the heat and haze and efforts to avoid turning the stove on, these green snappy beauties come to mind. 

Clean, crunchy and packed with nutrients, these nori rolls are the peeeerrrrrfect afternoon snack on a hot summer day and make for a great appy for your next backyard BBQ. This veg combo is my favorite (and not just because they're so pretty...but they SO are, right?). Use whatever crunchy veg you have on hand and mix it up for a nutritional twist. 

The possibilities are endless and they're always a hit at summer dinner parties.

SUMMER VEGETABLE NORI ROLLS WITH GINGER TAHINI DIPPING SAUCE

Serves: 6-8 (makes roughly 12 rolls) | Prep time: 15 minutes | Total time: 25 minutes 

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 c tahini

  • 1 Tbsp maple syrup or coconut nectar

  • 2 tsp tamari

  • juice of 1 lemon

  • 1 tsp minced ginger

  • 1/8 c water

  • 1 large bunch swiss chard or collard greens

  • 3-4 carrots, julienned

  • 3-4 golden beets, julienned

  • 8 asparagus spears, blanched and thinly sliced

  • 1 large handful of sunflower sprouts (or whichever sprouts look fresh and seasonal from your market)

  • 6-8 nori sheets, halved width-wise

  • 1 small bunch of basil

  • 1 small bunch of purple basil

  • 1/2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds

  • 1/2 Tbsp black sesame seeds

  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced

Directions:

  1. Dipping sauce: In a small bowl, whisk tahini, maple syrup, tamari, lemon juice, ginger and 1 Tbsp water. Add more water until desired consistency. Set aside.

  2. Prep green leaves for rolling by cutting alongside the vein/stem (save stem for later use in another recipe or feed to dog - my pup loves kale stems!). Each whole leaf should yield 2 leaves for rolling.

  3. Setting your mis en place: Prep your vegetables and arrange your ingredients in order for making the rolls: Julienne carrots and golden beets, blanch and thinly slice asparagus, thinly slice green onions, set out sunflower sprouts, whole purple basil and whole green basil (use all Italian basil if you cannot find purple), black and toasted sesame seeds, halved nori sheets, halved green leaves.

  4. Rolling: Place a green leaf vertically down on your workspace and place a nori sheet shiny side down, on top of the leaf. At the edge closest to you, arrange a thin line of carrots, golden beets, asparagus, sunflower sprouts, whole green and purple basil, black and toasted sesame seeds, thinly sliced green onions and a drizzle of the dipping sauce. Roll tightly, using fingers to hold in place and lay seam side down. Continue for remaining ingredients. Serve with extra sauce for dipping.

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Healthy, Healing...Soup.

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Running With Forks Warm Ginger Miso Broth and Roasted Wild King Salmon and Bok Choy and Sugar Snap Peas and English Peas and Shiitake Mushrooms

A few weeks ago, on a rainy afternoon after an intense spin class, my body craved a big bowl of healthy, healing...soup. That meant a a flavorful , healing broth packed with plenty of goodness to warm me up from the inside out, filled with some healthy delicious protein and delicious spring veggies.  After multiple requests for the recipe, here you go! Simple, easy and absolutely delicious.

WARM GINGER MISO BROTH + ROASTED WILD KING SALMON + BOK CHOY + SUGAR SNAP PEAS + ENGLISH PEAS + SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS

Prep Time : 15 min  |  Cooking Time : 20 min  |  Serves : 2

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 tsp sesame oil

  • 1/2 a small yellow onion, minced

  • 1/2 small leek, thinly sliced

  • 4 garlic cloves, minced

  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced

  • 2 tbsp tamari

  • 4 c vegetable broth

  • 2 tbsp white miso

  • sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste

  • 2 tsp sesame oil

  • 4 oz shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced

  • 1 baby bok choy, trimmed and divided

  • 1 c sugar snap peas, trimmed

  • 1/2 c english peas, blanched

  • 1 tsp sesame oil

  • 2-4oz pieces wild king salmon fillet

  • 1 tbsp black sesame seeds

  • 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

  • 1 green onion, thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Ginger Miso Broth: Heat 2 tsp sesame oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the onion and leek and cook for a few minutes until translucent and softened, but not browned. Add garlic and ginger and cook for 1-2 minutes longer, until fragrant and softened. Stir in the tamari to meld the flavors. Add the vegetable broth, bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Ladle 1 c of the broth into a small bowl and whisk in the miso until dissolved. Add miso broth back into pot and let simmer. Adjust seasoning with tamari or miso if desired.

  2. Season salmon with salt and pepper and let sit to bring to room temperature.

  3. Heat a medium skillet over medium high heat and add 2 tsp sesame oil until shimmering. Add shiitake mushrooms in a single layer and brown on each side, until cooked through. Remove from pan and set aside. Add bok choy and sugar snap peas and cook until lightly cooked through and beginning to brown in spots. Remove from pan and set aside with mushrooms.

  4. Add 1 tsp sesame oil to same pan and heat until shimmering. Add salmon fillets and cook 3-4 minutes each side, depending on thickness. Remove from heat and let rest.

  5. Assemble Soup: Arrange bok choy, sugar snap peas, english peas and shiitake mushrooms in two bowls. Pour broth over the top and place salmon in center. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions. Serve warm.