Rainbow Spring Rolls - Vegetarian

I have to confess to not eating so well lately, all the packing is cutting into my kitchen time.  What I have been truly craving was something quick and healthy.  Have you ever sat there staring at something you made and thought, "What the heck am I going to call it?"  If it hadn't been for the rainbow of veggies staring back at me on the plate, I may have had to call these Rolled Up Veggie Whatchamacallits or Whatchamwhosits.

In between packing boxes I tossed a few of these tasty rolls back for fuel.  Hot Dog Dude willingly ate them with me, but I could tell he would have preferred something else.  He's a hard core meat kinda guy.  I admit it; I'm kind of a mean wife sometimes.  I'm always nagging him about what he eats and nudging him towards healthier choices.  I thought he was going to lose it when I lectured him on the lunch meat he was stuffing down his face the other day.  He snapped back, "What else am I supposed to eat?"

He tends to be the kinda guy who wants to eat the same thing all the time.  I only nag him so he can add a little variety to his diet.  One can't live by lunch meat alone, well actually Hot Dog Dude could - hence the name.

Gather the following:
Leaf lettuce
Asparagus, washed, ends trimmed and blanched
Carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
Red bell pepper, thinly sliced
Blueberries
Rice paper spring roll wrappers

Prepare Sushi Rice:
For rice maker:  2 scoops medium grain rice and water filled to the second line
Or saucepan:  1 1/2 cups rice and 3 cups water

Seasoned rice vinegar mixture
3 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Would you still love me if I told you I'm terrible at making rice?  If it wasn't for one of my favorite kitchen appliances the rice maker, we would probably still be eating burned rice.

I love throwing the water and rice in, pushing the button and walking away.

When the rice is finished steaming, open the lid and let it cool down for 5 minutes or so.  Combine the seasoned rice vinegar, sugar and salt in a small bowl and microwave for 40 seconds or so until the sugar is melted.  Place the rice in a baking dish, pour the vinegar mixture over it and gently stir the rice with your paddle to coat the rice, you want to be careful not to break up the rice. Leave it on the counter until its cool enough to work with.

To soften the spring roll wrappers use a squirt bottle.  Spray both sides and shake of the excess water.  Place the wrapper on a plate and put a piece of lettuce in the middle.  Place a row of rice on top of that; add some carrot, bell pepper and asparagus.  Drizzle with fresh lemon juice or I used a special Meyer Lemon Olive Oil I picked up last time I was in San Francisco.

Before I rolled them up, I placed a row of blueberries in a strategic location:

Grab the wrapper side that is in front of you and start rolling tucking in the sides as you go.  I threw the blueberries in for a little extra crunch and anti-oxidants, plus I had seen Kim's Blueberry Waffles and Sandra's Blueberry Mousse that really put me in the mood for some blueberries.

Before you go thinking I'm the worst wife ever for making her husband go meatless for an afternoon, I actually made him something special the next day that was right up his alley.  I'll share his idea of an ideal lunch with you in a couple days.

p.s.  Hot Dog Dude doesn't know about his nickname, should I clue him in or just keep giggling about it behind his back.  So wrong, huh?

Enjoy,

Gina