Rainbow Spring Rolls

If you are looking for something healthy, full of veggies, and fun to make, try these out. They're also great for a party: put out sliced veggies, cooked and sliced chicken or steamed shrimp if you like, and let everyone make their own rolls. Traditional spring rolls also have rice noodles inside, but I usually skip them... that's just me. Peanut sauce makes for the perfect condiment! Make plenty, everyone will want their fair share. 

Rainbow Spring Rolls

Published May 30, 2017 by Caitlin Sherwood

These spring rolls have every color of the rainbow, and are perfect for summertime!

Yields: 15   |    Total Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients:

For the rolls:
• 15 Rice paper wrappers
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 cup cucumber, julienned
• 5 pieces of lettuce, thick stem pieces removed
• 1 cup purple cabbage, shredded
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
• Optional: chicken (cooked and sliced) or shrimp (steamed), avocado


For the sauce:
• 1/4 cup peanut butter or almond butter
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon Sriracha
• 1/4 cup coconut milk (canned, full-fat) 

Directions:

1. Prepare your workspace: set all of your sliced veggies out where they are easy to access (I put them all in small bowls around my cutting board).
2. Heat 1 centimeter of water until it’s just ready to simmer, but not bubbling yet. Place 1 rice paper wrapper in the hot water, just until it becomes soft and pliable. Then, carefully remove it from the water with out tearing it and place it flat on your cutting board (this may take a bit of practice! If you tear one or two, you can try to use it still or just start over with a new rice paper wrapper). While the wrapper is still pliable and warm, make a small row of veggies on one side of the rice paper (1-2 cucumber slices, a few tablespoons each of cabbage and carrots, 1-2 shrimp or slices of chicken, etc.) All together, you want about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of filling for each roll. Then, roll everything up like a burrito.
3. Repeat step 2 until you’ve used up all of your rice paper wrappers.
4. Make the sauce: stir together all of the ingredients until a uniform, creamy sauce comes together.
5. Serve spring rolls with a side of sauce for dipping. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.

Mediterranean Salad

It started when I was in high school: my core group of friends began doing dinners together for special occasions--birthdays, prom, etc. Most dinners had a similar landscape, including a main pasta dish with some sort of protein, a salad, and dessert (cheesecake). And Being a lover of cooking and feeling at home in the kitchen, I helped with all three dishes. But, one of those nights, I was proclaimed the Official Salad Maker. 

Now I sort of thought, salad... boooooring. But they said look, you can even make salad taste good, and that's crazy! So I moved on with no complaints. I guess it was a compliment.

Flash forward to 2016 and I'm the first to bring a salad to a party. No one is bringing salad? Don't you worry! Official Salad Maker to the rescue! (I no longer use that title, but somehow, I can't help but be the salad bearer to this day).

I have left many of my old hat tricks for salads in the dark and moved on to more innovative efforts. Candied pecans are out and extravagant ingredients from the antipasti isle are in. So are homemade vinaigrettes. Those jarred roasted red peppers in the ethnic foods section? To die for! Why don't we put those on more things? This salad doesn't last long on a table.

Mediterranean Salad

Paleo, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free,    |   Caitlin Sherwood    

This salad has so many delicious ingreidents--it will be everyone's favorite!

Serves: 5   |    Total Time: 15 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 1 heart of romaine
• 1/3 cup roasted red peppers, sliced thin (found in near the olives and pickles or in the Italian section in the store)
• 1/3 cup Kalamata olives, sliced
• 1/2 english cucumber
• 1/4 cup feta, crumbled
• Sprinkle of dried oregano
• Sprinkle of dried basil
• Roasted red pepper dressing (I used a store-bought version)

Directions:

1. First, wash and dry the romain using a salad spinner. Then, chopped the ingredients: chop the romaine into bite-sized pieces; drain and dice the red peppers, drain and halve the olives; if you prefer, peel the cucumber, and then dice.
2. Arrange the ingredients on a serving tray in rows, including 1 row for crumbled feta cheese. Lightly sprinkle salad with herbs.
3. When serving, drizzle with dressing to taste, and then toss salad until everything is well mixed.

Strawberry, Feta, Argula & Walnut Salad

In my childhood home, the east side of the yard was a dedicated strawberry patch. Or at least it started that way—before the suckers started popping up everywhere in the yard. Occasionally, you'd find a strawberry growing amongst the peonies, or thriving in a crack between two pavers. That’s what strawberries do—find a home, take root, take over. It’s why I haven’t yet planted strawberries in our current home, but suddenly, with spring in the air, I’m regretting that.

This salad is perfect for early spring days. In Colorado, you can always still count on a few more winter storms throughout spring, but for a few days, fresh salads, smoothies, and even grilled sausages have a moment to shine before a soggy pile of snow drops in.

Strawberry, Feta, Argula & Walnut Salad

Published April 28, 2016 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 2   |    Active Time: 10 minutes

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Ingredients:

For the Salad:

4-5 cups baby arugula

1/4 cup feta crumbles

5-10 strawberries, tops removed and quartered

1/4 cup toasted walnut pieces

Freshly ground black pepper

For the Vinaigrette:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon dijon

1 tablespoon minced shallot

Pinch of salt

Directions:

1. In a jar, combine all ingredients for vinaigrette. Close jar and shake to emulsify. Set aside.
2. Place arugula in a salad bowl. Top with feta, sliced strawberries, and toasted walnuts.
3. Drizzle vinaigrette over salad, and top with freshly cracked pepper to taste. Toss and serve immediately.