as the summer rolls to an end…

It’s the last day of August today… and we’re in the midst of a heat wave this week. Uhhh, it is HOT! Even with the AC on, we dread turning the oven on – and who wants to stand by a hot barbecue in that summer heat?… So this week, I’ve picked up some rice paper discs – AND I AM TOTALLY IN LOVE with making these SUMMER RICE ROLLS. This was our second run already this week – and it’s only Tuesday ;)

These are so much fun to make, give it a try if you haven’t already! It’s real simple ;)

What you need: rice paper discs, vegetables: cucumbers, carrots, avocado, sprouts, cilantro,
tofu or tempeh (optional), (feel free to add some of your favourite asian spices with some hot sauce in there too)

I was thinking why I was so set on making these… and I remembered a post on my friend’s blog about a similar recipe. Maya from Maya Made, put together this recipe for Summer Rolls not too long ago. She had mung bean noodles in her recipe which also sound great.

Making Rice Rolls:

1. Soak noodles according to package instructions.
2. Thinly slice all vegetables and arrange on platter for easy assembly.
3. Place rice paper disc in a water bath  make sure all parts are covered. It’s  ready as soon as it’s completely soft… a couple of minutes. Slip it onto a dishcloth and blot dry.
4. Add another disc while you prepare the first roll.
5. Place all ingredients on the lower center of the rice paper. Fold in the sides. Begin rolling shut. Keep it tight and secure. It will seal itself when you complete it.

I had made these for me and my sister and we absolutely loved them. For my daughter, I prepared the ingredients loose and she had fun just snacking on the vegetables. By the way – she’s a tofu fan ;)
When I served these for my husband, however – get this – he laughed – like  really LAUGHED OUT LOUD – and he said… “is this tofu? and carrots? and avocado? i’m supposed to eat this?”…… As you may already know, my husband is a typical ‘steak and potatoes’ kind of a guy, who is now stuck with a vegetarian (on the border of vegan and gluten free). Poor guy ;)  He still ate it and said it was actually pretty good – he just wished it had meat in it ;) lol

Everyone has a different preference to meals – but this one, served on a hot day for lunch – can’t be beat! Let me know if you’ve tried making rice rolls before or if you are planning to give it a go…. if so, ENJOY.
Here’s to the last day of August!