This "recipe" is yet another choose your own adventure, and it doesn't require turning on a single kitchen appliance. These vegetable summer rolls are super fresh, and can change with the seasons in regards to what veggies are included. 

When building summer rolls I always like to include a few categories of components: crunchy vegetables, fresh herbs/aromatics, and protein. These ones are loaded with cucumbers, tofu, mint, basil, and more... all complimented by a peanut dipping sauce. 

Don't be afraid to branch out and make this your own. Try adding cooked and cooled shrimp instead of tofu, or rice noodles instead of greens. 

Ingredients:

1 package of rice spring roll wrappers
1/2 bag of mixed greens or lettuce
4 cucumbers, sliced thinly
3 cups sliced crunchy vegetables - peppers, carrots, radish, salad turnips etc
1 block of firm tofu
2 cups of fresh herbs- basil, cilantro, mint, and/or green onion

Quick & Easy Peanut Sauce: 
3 parts peanutbutter (crunchy or smooth)
2 parts soy sauce or tamari
1 part sesame oil
1 part rice wine vinegar
maple syrup & sriRAWcha to taste
optional: minced ginger & garlic

Method of Preparation: 

1. Prepare all of the fillings before you begin- drain and slice tofu into matchsticks or small planks, slice or julienne the vegetables, and pick the herbs from their stems. If using green onions, slice into 3 inch pieces. 

2. To assemble: Fill a large, shallow bowl with warm water. Soak one rice paper wrapper in the water until it begins to soften. Lay the wrapper on a plate and fill with a handful of greens, some tofu, a few pieces of vegetables and a few pieces of fresh herbs.

3. Fold the sides inward and wrap snugly like you would with a burrito. Wrap tightly but also gently to avoid ripping the softened rice paper. Repeat with the remaining rice paper, soaking and wrapping just one at a time. These can be wrapped a few days in advance and kept in the refrigerator. 

4. Serve with your favorite peanut sauce, or make your own by combining the ingredients listed above together, thinning with warm water until you reach your desired consistency. 

I was lucky enough to spend my childhood years in Nice, France where local produce is abundant and fresh vegetables make up a big part of the diet. The classic salad Nicoise always features fresh tomatoes, briney olives, hard boiled eggs + tuna or anchovies dressed in vinaigrette. More modern versions add additional ingredients like cooked potatoes, green beans, capers or radishes...so this really can be a choose your own adventure style salad. I especially like to make this when summers start to heat up- only about 15 minutes of active cooking time, and you only need one pot of water to get it done. 

A mixture of cooked and raw vegetables plus multiple protein sources really make this salad a complete meal. By cooking the vegetables and eggs ahead of time, and keeping them in the refrigerator, this meal comes together in just minutes whenever you need something fresh and filling. If you can find Nicoise olives, definitely use those- but most of the time I will make this with whatever I have access to. This recipe will make 2 large meal-sized salads or 4 smaller salads.

Ingredients

1/2 bag of salad greens or arugula
4 eggs, hard or soft boiled
1 lb yellow or purple potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 lb green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup kalamata or green olives 
1-2 cans of tuna packed in olive oil
1/2 cup of your favorite vinaigrette

Method of Preparation

1. Start by cooking the potatoes and blanching the green beans- usually I do this in the same pot. Starting with cold water I cook the potatoes for 10 minutes, then add the green beans and cook for 2-3 more minutes. You can also cook your hard (or soft) boiled eggs at this point too! 

2. Remove the green beans with a slotted spoon and put into an ice bath to stop the cooking and keep them crunchy and green. Drain the potatoes and chill in the refrigerator until you're ready to make the salad. 

3. To assemble: toss potatoes and green beans with half of the vinaigrette, and the salad greens with the remaining. Add the greens to your plate, topped with the beans and potatoes. Pile on the remaining ingredients - tuna, tomatoes, olives, and sliced hardboiled eggs + any additional fresh vegetables that are in season. 

​Each year I get into obsessions with certain foods as they come into season. It’s always my way to use up as much produce as possible when it’s fresh. This spring with all my lettuce I’ve been making caesar salads. Each time I make it, I use the same dressing - but I always mix up the produce and crouton bread. Fresh crouton are so quick and easy to make and very underrated. You should definitely start making your own. I’ll tell you about how I prepare each of the components, but please use whatever ratio of dressing, greens, and bread chunks that you like. This vegan caesar salad dressing is great for folks with allergies and comes together in just a few minutes.

Caesar Dressing 
4 Tbsp vegan mayo, sour cream or tahini
2 Tbsp chopped green olive or capers 
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 Tbsp maple syrup
1/2 Tbsp mustard 
1/2 Tbsp liquid aminos or soy sauce  
garlic powder to taste
TONS of black pepper
​
Add everything to a bowl and whisk together. I like to add a lot of fresh black pepper to set it off.  The olives, lemon, and soy are all pretty intense so I say DO NOT add any salt salt. This is great in salads but you can also use it as a spread on sandwiches. 
​

​The Greens
Any type of lettuce works. I have been using tender white silesian and this red romaine. If you have them, use some fresh herbs or mix in some spinach. Use whatever you have and like, just make sure to wash and dry it well. To add more crunch to sort of wilty lettuce, I’ll soak it in a bowl of water for awhile and then spin dry. 

I like to keep my caesar salads to just a few simple ingredients, but this makes a really good background to things like radishes, snap peas, or whatever other fresh salad things you like. ​

​Crouton Crouton
I always make croutons out of whatever types of bread that I have laying around. Sourdough is a classic, but I really love making them out of english muffins, naan, hamburger buns… literally whatever you have. In the time it takes to preheat the oven, you can have them ready to go in. Here’s what you need: 

This makes enough for 4 big, dinner-sized salads- I use about 1 serving of bread & 1 tsp of olive oil per person. 

4 pieces of bread- english muffins, buns, or slices. 
4 tsp olive oil
1-2 garlic cloves or 1 tsp garlic powder
herbs/spices like oregano, basil, thyme, chili powder (choose whatever you like or skip it) 
salt & pepper
​
Preheat your oven to 375°F. Chop your bread into bite-sized cubes and add to a bowl. Warm up your oil in a pan and add minced garlic. Cook gently for a few minutes until garlic is fragrant, then add whatever seasonings you like. Toss your bread cubes in the oil and spread out on a lined baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes. It may take longer depending on the type of bread you use, just give them a check every few minutes. Remove when they are golden brown and crispy.

I like to think about a theme when I am creating little niblets like these. For example, the ones featured here use Mexican flavors, so I used pinto beans, chili powder, jalapeños and cilantro to garnish. If I were making a Greek version of this, I would use feta, basil and oregano, some tomatoes and garbanzo beans mixed with tahini. This recipe can guide and inspire you to try different versions of these appetizer bites, using the week’s goodies