These quinoa and chard fresh spring rolls have new years resolution written all over them. I’m not a resolution dieter. In fact, I’m not a dieter at all, but I do like to detox after a long season of cookies, cakes and far too much wine. I try to lay off super rich foods, excessive dairy, most sugar, and booze (ok, maybe just one glass of rosè) for a few weeks after a period of overindulgence. For those of you who are in my same boat, or looking to make a fresh start on your eating habits this year, these spring rolls are a great alternative to a lunch salad, or even make a perfect afternoon snack.
Another thing I like to do when a new year rolls around is clean out my kitchen. I take all the dishes out of my cabinets and wipe them all out, I toss old condiments, and take inventory of my fridge and pantry then try to come up with ideas on how to use up what I have on hand. It’s kind of like when you look in your closet and think you have nothing to wear. Most of us have plenty of food on hand, we just need to reimagine it a little bit in order for it to be appealing. It’s a great way to get the creative juices flowing, not to mention a great way to save money after a costly gift giving month.
I’ve been getting chard, radishes and carrots in my weekly CSA box non stop lately. Although I love all three of those things, they’re not the easiest things to eat in excess. I mean c’mon, a girl can only dip so many radishes in hummus before her tastebuds get bored.
I decided to make these quinoa and chard fresh spring rolls and was very pleased with the results. I ate a few for a snack, and the rest for lunch the next day. They maintained their crispness in the fridge very well, and actually held together better after refrigerating overnight. Go me! I managed to make a healthy and delicious snack without a trip to the store by using only my imagination. A stellar start to a new year if you ask me.
Quinoa and Chard Fresh Spring Rolls
Quinoa and Chard Fresh Spring Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 bunch rainbow chard
- 1 cup prepared quinoa
- 1 small bunch of radishes cut into matchsticks
- 2 large carrots cut into matchsticks
- 1 cup arugula
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- Sriracha sauce **optional
Instructions
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In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, garlic and ginger. Add quinoa and stir until well combined.
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Score the stems of the chard for easy rolling, and trim the excess stem to create a spring roll "wrapper".
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Layer a spoonful or two of quinoa, carrots, radishes, and a few leaves of arugula on each chard leaf wrapper. Add a squirt of Sriracha to each roll if you like it spicy.
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Fold the sides of the roll in towards the center, then roll each leaf from the bottom to create a spring roll shape.
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Refrigerate for one hour before slicing.
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Connie says
Quinoa springrolls! They bring back the distant memories of Vietnamese springrolls. The poppy quinoa punch makes this quite the healthy appetizer. I loved how the layered textures contributed to such a delightful flavour in el fin. Thank you much!
https://www.wonderfulcook.com says
These spring rolls sound delicious and your recipe looks simple. Can’t wait to try it.