Salad Rolls with Peanut Sauce

This just seems like the perfect summertime meal! The idea came about as a result of feeling in a rut for packing picnic meals in a cooler when going boating for the day. Of course sandwiches are the easiest but if you aren’t a bread eater . . . you have to get creative. I was on a make it, eat it, remake it and repeat cycle with quinoa salads, tuna salad bowls, chicken salad on chips, and just really needed a change from my normal. To test this idea 😜, I stopped and ordered some salad rolls to go from a close by Thai restaurant and took them out on the boat one day, it passed the test! They were the perfect meal to have on the water!

I had made salad rolls years ago and had already learned a couple of lessons, first, use a piece of parchment paper or a wet cloth towel on the counter to roll on, as the rice papers will stick to other surfaces after you wet them. And second, roll tight, otherwise when you bite into them you might lose a little bit.

For this recipe I didn’t add any protein but common additions would be tofu or shrimp. I have also seen them with chicken or pork but that just seems too heavy for the light meal I had in mind, you can be creative based on your taste buds at the time!

You can’t go wrong with your ingredients, as long as you have the peanut sauce 😂. It is delicious, you will want to dip, double-dip, pour over and then dunk!

INGREDIENTS -

1 package rice wraps
Shredded carrot
Julienned cucumber
Rice vermicelli noodles
1 tsp sesame oil
Cilantro
Mint leaves
Basil leaves

FOR THE PEANUT SAUCE -

1/2 cup light coconut milk
6 Tbsp peanut or almond butter
2 Tbsp coconut aminos
1 Tbsp real maple syrup
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp sweet chili sauce
2 tsp rice vinegar
pinch of sea salt

Whisk the peanut sauce ingredients together and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve. It will be thin initially but after a time in the refrigerator it will thicken up a bit.

Boil the vermicelli noodles as per the instructions on your package. Drain and toss with 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, then set aside.

Prepare all of your ingredients and set them in bowls to create a “work station”. Place a piece of parchment paper on your counter to roll on. Then take a deep breath, the rice wraps can be intimidating but be patient, it will come together.

Prepare a pan, the size the wraps will fit into, with very warm water. Place a rice wrap in the hot water for approximately 1 minute. It should be pliable enough to work with but not falling apart. Remove the rice wrap from the water and lay it out on the parchment paper. Add your ingredients on the lower 1/3 of the wrap, similar to if you were rolling up a burrito. Roll tightly for one turn, fold in the ends, then continue rolling up. Place in a container with a piece of parchment paper on the bottom, and if you have layers, place a piece of parchment paper between the layers.

These store nicely for a few days so it is something that can be made in advance. Whether you enjoy these at home or for that picnic outing, they will be a hit with everyone. Enjoy!