These fresh no-cook spring rolls are easy to prepare but impressive when served. Feel free to also play around with the fillings—you can easily swap the quinoa for rice noodles or use Thai basil instead of cilantro.
Beaver Dam Community Hospitals is the lead sponsor for the Blue Zones Project in Dodge County, Wisconsin. Founded in 2017, the hospital system brought in the initiative to combat rising health conditions and obesity levels.
Dozens of organizations, large employers, schools, policymakers, and individuals in Dodge County have signed on to make improvements and enhancements to the health of the entire community. Beaver Dam Community Hospitals is an approved worksite, and its café, serving almost 1,000 meals per day, is also a Blue Zones–approved restaurant. It wasn’t too long ago that most major hospitals in America housed fast-food chains, so serving healthy food where people need it most goes a long way in improving the health of an entire community.
Spring Rolls:
1⁄3 cup quinoa, rinsed
10 spring roll rice paper wrappers
1 carrot, peeled and matchstick julienned
1 cucumber, matchstick julienned
1 red pepper, matchstick julienned
Handful of cilantro (or any herb you desire)
Peanut Dipping Sauce:
1⁄4 cup natural creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1 teaspoon sriracha hot sauce (optional)
Chopped peanuts and red pepper flakes (optional, for garnish)
Cook quinoa according to package directions.
When done, toss to cool.
While quinoa is cooking, mix all sauce ingredients together on stove over low heat.
Whisk until combined and creamy—adding water as needed to get to your desired consistency—then set aside to cool.
Pour warm water into a pan or a bowl big enough to fit the wrappers.
Working with one at a time, submerge wrapper into the water until it becomes tender but not soft.
This can take anywhere from 20 to 90 seconds, depending on how old the rice papers are.
Quickly move wrapper to a dry surface and pat excess water off the wrapper.
Place a small amount of carrot, cucumber, pepper, quinoa, and cilantro in the middle of the rice paper.
Do not overstuff.
Carefully roll the paper, starting from the bottom and pulling in the sides until you have rolled a tight spring roll.
Serve spring rolls with dipping sauce.
Garnish with peanuts and red pepper flakes, if using.
The Blue Zones Kitchen fuses scientific reporting, National Geographic photography and 100 recipes that may help you live to 100. The Blue Zones’ food tradition is going the way of the dodo bird, thanks to the encroachment of the American Food Culture.
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