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simple dinner

Veggies For Dayz Rice Paper Rolls with Tahini Lime Dip

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Perfect for those days that you have that urge to dive into a plate-full of cleansing, vcggie deliciousness.

This dish is part of the Vancity Virtual Potluck menu!

The #VancityVirtualPotluck includes over 30 delish recipes from amazing Vancouver (/Whistler!) bloggers. The lovely ladies over at Piquant Marketing have brought us all together to form a mega-menu to devour.

I was super excited to start off the appetizer course of the Virtual Potluck, but then, just like a real-life potluck… I went ‘AH, what do I make’?

Then, ‘ahhhhhh yes rainbows are pretty. Let’s make some.’

For the appetizer that comes after these rice paper rolls, head over to Stephanie and Kiana at Karma and Soul for their amazing Roasted Balsamic Beet Hummus recipe (inspired by Melissa at Spread’Em Kitchen)!

The link for the next dish is at the bottom.

Click this photo for the full menu!

Back to these crunchy, nutrient-dense rolls. So simple and SO fresh.

Raw.

Vegan.

Oil-Free.

Gluten-Free.

And this sauce is perfection.

You can create an endless combination of veggies and fruit to stuff into these wraps. Just pack in your favourite colours of the veggie rainbow.

(I get all my favourites from Spud – use CRVAN-MURJUB for 20 buckeroos off!)

These babies are perfect to bring as a colourful appetizer to any shindig you’re going to.

The dipping sauce is also used in the Cucumber Cups canapé recipe. It’s so versatile and can be used as a spread, dip or dressing depending on the amount of water you add.

There’s no doubt that this flavourful, oil-free sauce will become a sought after staple in your abode.

Benefits:

~ Raw produce of any kind are what makes your body thrive. Eating fruits and veggies in their raw form keeps the nutrients in tact, plus gives you the water content and fibre you need for the digestion and assimilation of the vitamins, minerals and nutrients. You’ll get mega-benefits from all the enzymes and phytonutrients in raw goodness. This leaves you with more energy for healing and life! Clearer skin, more energy, less sickness, easier weight-loss, better digestion, and less inflammation are all benefits of eating an abundance of raw fruits and veggies.

~ Tahini is one of the best sources of calcium you can consume. The calcium in sesame seeds (what tahini is made of) is easily absorbed and assimilated by your body to help create strong bones well into your 90s

~ Rice paper wrappers are gluten-free, low-calorie, low-fat and easy to use. They are a great option for creating wraps with because the only ingredients are rice, and water (maybe some salt)!

Veggies for Dayz Rice Paper Rolls with Tahini Lime Dip

Serves: 2-4

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

Wraps:

  • 5-8 rice paper wrappers
  • 2 beets, grated
  • 4 carrots, grated
  • 2 mangos, sliced
  • 2 cucumbers, sliced length-wise
  • 1 avocado, sliced
  • 1 red pepper, sliced thinly
  • as many sunflower sprouts as you can fit
  • 1 cup water (for rice paper)

Tahini Lime Ginger Dip:

  • 2 tbsp tahini
  • 4 tbsp almond butter
  • 1 tbsp + 1 tsp tamari or soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp ginger powder
  • 1/2 cup water

Directions:

  1. Make dipping sauce: add all dip ingredients to mini food processor or blender. Blend until smooth
  2. Roll up the wraps: pour water in a plate. Submerge one rice paper in the water for 20 seconds. Take out and place on breadboard. Fill the wrap with some of each veggie. Fold the ends of the rice paper over the veggies, then roll like a burrito.
  3. Cut in half, and serve with dipping sauce.

 

Fully Loaded Sweet Potatoes | A Go-To Weeknight Dinner

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Nothing screams summer quite like a picnic table dinner session, especially when you top it off with these fully loaded sweet potatoes.

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OK, you’re right, the dog days of summer may be coming to an end, but stay strong… hit up a park to eat at a picnic table this week! Do it.

It’s liberating.

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And what would be better than some ooey-gooey, caramely, delicious sweet potatoes to bring on your excursion?

Well, THAT…

Plus … rice, beans, guacamole, salsa and creamy cheezy cashew sauce with a side of corn and a big ol’ salad!

That’s my kinda dinner.

A throw-it-all-together kind of thing.

Feel free to add or subtract from the toppings listed to make your own pile of yum. Or, if russet potatoes call your name, use those instead.

These goes divinely with a big salad of cucumbers, tomatoes, peaches, green onion and romaine tossed with Nutty Miso Dressing.

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Benefits:

  • Sweet Potatoes are the staple food of some of the longest living people on this planet, the Okinawans. They’re packed with beneficial carbohydrates, fibre, vitamins A, C and D. They’re a complex carbohydrate that won’t spike your blood sugar, but will fuel your cells with clean burning energy.
  • Avocados in the guacamole will give you the essential fatty acids your brain thrives on.
  • Cashew ‘Cheeze’ Sauce will replace the typical dairy cheese. No one needs that. By avoiding dairy, you’ll lower your chances of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. You’ll also avoid allergic reactions, inflammation, indigestion, hormones and antibiotics. So, here’s a way to replace your cow cheeses with nut cheeses.

Time: 1 hour

Serves: 4 (Double it so you have left overs!)

Ingredients

  • 4 Sweet Potatoes
  • 1 cup rice
  • 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (or soak your own, and cook them up)

Guacamole:

  • 1 avocado
  • Juice of 1/2 a lime
  • 1tsp garlic powder

Salsa:

  • 5 roma tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup cilantro
  • 1/2 red onion
  • 2 garlic cloves

Cheezy Cashew Sauce:

  • 1/2 cup cashews, soaked at least one hour in water
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 cup-1 cup water (depending on how thick or thin you’d like it)
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

If you want to go the extra mile add this too!

Garlicy Maple sautèed mushrooms:

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Cook rice: Rinse, put in pot with 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 45 minutes.
  3. Cook potatoes: Poke holes in sweet potatoes with fork, place on parchment paper covered pan. Put in oven for 45 minutes.
  4. Sauté mushrooms (EXTRA MILE, but very tasty!): add water to medium-hot pan, add garlic for 1 minute, add mushrooms and dressing, let simmer, stir every 5 minutes for about 10 minutes.
  5. Make Cheezy Cashew Sauce: Blend all ingredients in blender.
  6. Make Salsa: Pulse all ingredients in blender or food processor.
  7. Make Guacamole: Mash all ingredients in a bowl with a fork.
  8. Assemble: Layer your ingredients starting with your potatoe! Sweet potato-rice-beans-guac-salsa-cheez sauce and VOILA!