VIETNAMESE SUMMER ROLLS & PEANUT SAUCE

Vietnamese rolls can be made ahead, but they are better rolled fresh.  Keep a sealed container full of prepped fillings in the refrigerator and a healthy, delicious meal can be on the table in minutes.

These are basic shrimp rolls.  Other tasty ingredients to consider as replacements or additions include: chicken, tofu, chopped peanuts, avocado, sprouts of all kinds, mint, basil, apple, mango, arugula and spinach.  You're limited only by your imagination!

SAUCES

Easy Peanut Sauce
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp honey
1 tsp vinegar
1 clove garlic minced fine
1/2 tsp hot sauce (optional)
1/2 cup water

Garlic-Lime Sauce
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup hot water
1/8 tsp hot chili oil
2 cloves garlic minced
1/3 cup lime juice
1/4 cup soy sauce

Ginger Sauce
3/4 cup fish sauce
3/4 cup rice vinegar
2 Tbsp ginger grated
1/8 tsp hot chili oil
2 Tbsp honey

SUMMER ROLLS

15 large 16-20ct shrimp
1/2 cup cucumber (English preferred)
1/2 cup carrot
4 lettuce leaves
1 bunch cilantro
1 cup rice noodles
8 rice paper circles

Open rice skin package and remove what you need.
Gather other ingredients.
Cook shrimp according to package and slice in half.
Prepare noodles according to package.
Peel and julienne carrots.
Peel cucumbers, remove seeds and slice.
Cut lettuce into strips.
Fill a container with warm water.  It should be large enough for rice skin to lay flat.
Remove the rice skin when it is slightly transparent and soft.  It will tear easily if left in the water too long.
Spread the skin on a flat surface and put 3 shrimp halves in the middle.
Add thin layers of other ingredients.
Fold one side over ingredients.  Then fold in ends.  Pull taut while you roll up.  The roll should stick to itself.
Serve immediately and enjoy!

From Asian Fabric magazine, 2013

Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

1 teaspoon Paula Deen’s House Seasoning
1/2 cup finely chopped green onion with tops
4 ounces feta cheese
2 ounces cream cheese
1   (10-ounce package) frozen chopped spinach
24   fresh mushrooms, stems removed
Salt, to taste
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Wipe mushroom caps clean with a damp paper towel.  Thaw spinach in a colander; squeeze out as much moisture as possible. In mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except mushrooms and parmesan cheese.  Mix well.  Fill mushroom caps with mixture and place on a cookie sheet.  Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.  Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.  Serve warm. 

Another alternative - I will make a spinach dip and put spinach dip in the mushroom and top with feta or mozarella cheese.  Bake for 15 - 20 minutes and serve warm.

MEXICAN GRILLED CHICKEN WRAP

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, grilled, chopped

1 1/2 cups coleslaw blend (cabbage slaw mix)

1 tsp chilli powder

1 Tbsp lime juice

1/4 cup Ranch dressing

1/2 cup Mexican style finely shredded four cheese

1/2 cup grape tomatoes, quartered

4 whole wheat tortillas (10")

1/2 cup salsa

1/4 cup sour cream

Heat grill to medium heat

Combine first 7 ingredients.

Spoon chicken mixture down centres of tortillas. Fold in sides of tortillas, then roll up burrito-sytle. Secure with toothpicks, if desired.

Grill, seam-sides down, 8-9 minutes, or until golden brown on all sides, turning occasionally. Serve with salsa and sour cream.

Kraft Foods recipe.

ASIAN CHICKEN WRAPS

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2" pieces

1 small red pepper, chopped

One 8 oz pkg (225 g) Philadelphia cream cheese, cubed

4 cups coleslaw blend (cabbage slaw mix)

1/2 cup Kraft Light Asian Toasted Sesame dressing

1/3 cup lightly salted peanuts - optional

4 flour tortillas (12") warmed

Cook and stir chicken and peppers in large nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium-high heat 6-8 minutes or until chicken is done. Add cream cheese; cook 2 minutes or until melted, stirring frequently.

Toss coleslaw blend with dressing in large bowl. Add chicken mixture and nuts; mix lightly.

Spoon chicken mixture down centres of tortillas; roll up. Cut in half.

Serves 4

Kraft Foods recipe

GREEK CHEESE TORTA

1 package frozen spinach

2 packages cream cheese

2 Tbsp Greek rub

250 g feta, crumbled

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained, patted dry

3 Tbsp pistachios, coarsely chopped

Mix spinach, cream cheese, Greek rub & feta cheese together.

Line a bowl with plastic, spread 1/3 of the cheese mixture in bowl, top with tomatoes, add remaining cheese mixture.

Invert torta onto serving platter.

Remove wrap.

Press pistachios onto torta.

Serve with bread or crostini.

STUFFED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS

While panko (Japanese breadcrumbs available in the Asian foods aisle at most supermarkets) works best in this dish, you can substitute freshly made coarse breadcrumbs, if necessary. Two colours of tomato give it a nice presentation, but you can use all red or yellow if you have them on hand.

4 (6-inch) portobello mushrooms, stems removed

Cooking spray

1 cup chopped red tomato

1 cup chopped yellow tomato

1 cup panko

1 cup pre-shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Preheat broiler.

Remove brown gills from undersides of mushrooms using a spoon; discard gills. Place the mushrooms, gill sides down, on a foil-lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Broil mushrooms for 5 minutes.

Combine tomatoes, breadcrumbs, cheese and chives.

Turn the mushrooms over sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. Divide tomato mixture evenly among mushrooms. Broil 5 minutes or until cheese melts.

Yield: 4 servings.

Per serving: 184 calories

Cooking Light's "Easy Summer Meals," 2007, pg 51