It has been oppressively hot here so cooking is really not an option at the moment. I've been enjoying foods that can be eaten cold and enjoying every second of it. I'm going to be making a cherry chocolate smoothie for breakfast tomorrow and it's going to be so good. I made blackberry vanilla ice pops and those are awesome too. But once in a while I'll eat something really ordinary and it will inspire some really amazing meals. Which is why I'm here today.
Last week I enjoyed a really simple meal that I grabbed on the go and it turned into meal inspiration for two different meal! First, the inspiration:
Super simple brown rice veggie sushi rolls. I love these things and rarely ever get them because they tend to be expensive. I decided to use the basic flavors to make new dishes for hot, humid summer days and I think they came out great!
It all started with some Thai Sticky Purple Rice from Alter Eco. I LOVE this rice. Sticky rice is my favorite and make it fair trade and purple and count me in ;) This was the perfect choice. I wasn't super happy that I had to turn the stove on but cooked enough to get a ton of meals out of it.
So first I made tomorrow's lunch and decided to make 2 large spring rolls using brown rice paper wrappers. In addition to the wrappers I used a lettuce leaf, some of the rice (cooled completely), shredded carrots and cucumber and some shredded nori. I also made a super quick peanut sauce using powdered peanut butter, low sodium tamari, a tiny bit of agave and was thinned out with some water. I would have added sriracha but mine was about 3 years past its prime. I added some edamame for the side. Don't these look great?! Aside from the tear you can see I think I did a good job wrapping them.
While I had everything out I made my dinner for tonight. I made sushi inspired lettuce wraps with butter lettuce leaves, sticky purple rice, shredded carrot and cucumber, avocado and shredded nori. The only thing I wish I would have done was make more peanut sauce because they were a little dry but otherwise they were delicious!
Later on in the week I'll probably make a simple deconstructed sushi rice bowl with the rice, shredded veggies, avocado and shredded nori and I'll make some peanut sauce to drizzle on top. I love that simple sushi rolls inspired three meals :)
I do have some great meals planned for tomorrow so maybe I'll take some pics if I don't forget. We shall see!
That's all I have for today! I hope you are all doing well, staying cool and enjoying your summer!
Gorgeous! Cant believe you made all that. Like legit Asian restaurant looking.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I can't believe I made them either, ha!
DeleteMaking my own rice paper spring rolls has been on my list for ages, and you make them look so good!! When I'm back from TX, I need to just do it. Love the lettuce wraps, too!!
ReplyDeleteI hope everything is going alright in the world of work and life, I don't like you hanging you hanging by a thread! :)
Thank you! You should definitely give them a try, they so easy!!
DeleteHaha thanks, it is what it is at this point. Hopefully the inspiration and motivation will return soon.