Fresh Spring Rolls

I love making spring rolls in the winter when I am very ready to remember the brightness of summer.

(And you can add fresh cilantro or scallions to this recipe in the summer season.)

• 2 carrots, thinly sliced (I often use a peeler to get the thin strips we enjoy in the spring rolls)

• 1 small cabbage, thinly sliced into ribbons

• 1 small beet, thinly sliced (same thing with the vegetable peeler for thin ribbons)

• 1 watermelon radish or daikon radish, thinly sliced (or with vegetable peeler)

• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced

• 2 large handfuls of mesclun mix (or baby kale, baby chard, or spinach), finely chopped

• rice paper wrappers

• 1/3 cup tamari or soy sauce

• 3 TBSP maple syrup

• 1/4 cup lime juice

• 3 TBSP toasted sesame oil

• 2-3 garlic cloves, crushed

• 2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

  Mix the carrots, cabbage, beet, radish, onion, and greens in a bowl. Fill a large bowl with lukewarm water that will be big enough to place a rice paper wrapper in. Submerge a rice paper wrapper in the bowl, and when it is totally pliable, remove from the water and put on a flat surface. Add about 1/2 cup of the mixed veggies in the center of the wrapper in a rectangle. Fold the two short ends in and then roll the rest of it up, tucking in the ends. Repeat this until you are out of veggies or wrappers. (Feel free to use any extra prepared veggies in a stir fry.) Whisk together the tamari, maple syrup, lime juice, toasted sesame seeds, garlic, and red pepper flakes for the dipping sauce. Enjoy!