Summer Vegetable Nori Rolls with Ginger Tahini Dipping Sauce

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.

Savory Nut + Seed Clusters

Looking for the perfect snack of nuts and seeds? Found it!

I was asked to style and shoot a recipe for Barre3 (recipe courtesy of Lauren Chandler) and I am now in love! Thank you, Lauren, for creating this delicious snack that's the perfect in-between! It's the perfect midday snack or handful of a treat while making dinner or heading out the door, and it's got just the right amount of sweet and savory.

SAVORY NUT + SEED CLUSTERS

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 Tbs. mirin or sweet rice wine (or ½ tsp. coconut sugar mixed with 3 Tbs. rice vinegar, dry sherry, sweet Marsala wine, dry white wine)

• 1 Tbs. tamari or coconut aminos

• 1/4 cup sesame seeds

• 2 Tbs. brown mustard seeds

• 1 cup raw cashews

• 1 cup raw pepitas

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place a medium bowl next to the stove. Combine the mirin and tamari in a small bowl and set aside.

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

3. Add the sesame seeds to a medium-large skillet and toast over medium-low heat, stirring frequently for 3-4 minutes until they start to turn golden brown. Transfer them to a medium bowl.

4. Add the mustard seeds to the skillet. When they start to turn grey and pop, about 2-3 minutes, transfer them to the bowl with the sesame seeds.

5. Add the cashews to the skillet. Stir occasionally for 2 - 3 minutes until they start to turn golden brown in spots, then stir in the pepitas. Continue to toast, stirring occasionally, for about 2- 3 minutes, until the pepitas start to pop, turn golden brown, and become fragrant.

6. Add the mirin and tamari and stir to combine and continue stirring for about 3-4 minutes, until the ingredients start to stick together.

7. Transfer the pepitas and cashews to the bowl with the seeds and stir to evenly distribute all of the ingredients, then transfer to the baking sheet and spread out in an even layer to let cool.

Head on over to www.blog.barre3.com for even more amazing recipes and wellness tips. You can find a bunch of my creations over there as well!

It was a wonton afternoon

The weather man declared the sun was going to shine on our faces every day this week...he disappointed me.  It rained all day. Without a single beam resting on my cheeks.  But that's alright, Roald Dahl put it nicely, "...if you have good thoughts it will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely". And after leaving LA and living in this beautifully rainy city, I've learned to find my own sunbeams in times like this. I took those words and chose to take the rain as the perfect opportunity to shelter myself in my kitchen, get my hands dirty and play with the wontons I've been craving ALL week long. 

This recipe is light, comforting and incredibly easy.  I used a portion of the wontons for the soup, a portion as potstickers and a portion is hiding in the freezer to come back to enjoy in a week or so! And feel free to explore with different proteins and vegetables! You might surprise yourself when you look down at the tray filled with delicate little packages that YOU created.  Meditation in motion.  That's what cooking and creating is for me. 

HOMEMADE WONTON SOUP

A deliciously warming soup made with little homemade pork wontons simmering in a light chicken stock with Chinese vegetables.

Prep time: 30 mins | Cook time: 25 mins | Total time: 55 mins

Serves: 6 (with leftover wontons)

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 garlic cloves, pressed

• 1 tbsp ginger, finely grated

• 2 green onions, thinly sliced

• 1 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce

• 1 1/2 tsp siracha

• 1 tbsp sesame oil

• 1 c shiitake mushrooms, diced (~3oz)

• 1 c cabbage, finely chopped

• 1 lb ground pork

• few grind of fresh cracked pepper

• 30 2-inch wonton sheets

• 1 tbsp sesame oil

• 4 small garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tbsp ginger, finely grated

• 4 cups chicken stock or broth (you can use fish or vegetable stock as well)

• 4 cups water

• 3 oz shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced

• 1 baby bok choy, thinly sliced

• 3 green onions, thinly sliced, 2-3 tbsp white miso paste, or more to taste

• 6 tsp sambal oelek, divided between bowls *optional

• 6 tsp tamari, divided between bowls *optional

• garnish with green onions and radish, thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, combine garlic, ginger, green onions, oyster sauce, siracha, sesame oil, shiitake mushrooms, cabbage, pork and pepper. Using your hands, fold the ingredients into each other and until well combined.

2. Assembly of wontons: Place wonton sheets on a work surface with parchment paper. Scoop 1 tbsp of the pork mixture into the center of each sheet. Using your finger, line the edges of the sheet with water. Fold the dough into the center from each corner to create a little package, pinching the edges to seal. (if you are using circular wrappers, fold the sheet in half to create a half-moon/crescent shape). *

3. Heat 1 tbsp sesame oil in a dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, stirring frequently, about 1-2 minutes.

4. Slowly pour in chicken stock and water, increase heat and bring to a boil. Add mushrooms and bok choy, reduce heat and simmer until mushrooms are tender, about 10 minutes. Add green onions and miso paste, stirring until dissolved, about 2 minutes, and adjusting miso for desired taste.

5. Increase heat and bring to a slow boil. Carefully drop in 12-18 wontons, depending on desired wontons per bowl and cook until wrappers are cooked through, about 5 minutes.

6. At the bottom of each bowl, add 1 tsp sambal oelek and 1 tsp tamari, if desired, and ladle soup into bowls.

7. Garnish with thinly sliced green onions and thinly sliced radishes. Enjoy!

*if freezing some of the wontons, place uncooked wontons in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet overnight in the freezer and transfer to freezer bags or airtight storage.