Vegan Spring Rolls

Wow, summer arrived fast! Along with it came the heat and humidity that mostly make me crave Mexican food. You can relate, right?

Something about the combination of red beans, chili peppers, and corn really does it for me in high temperatures and challenging humidity.

What about sports in the summer, you ask?

I try to shift down a gear during this season—running slower, shorter distances, and if possible, earlier in the morning. I also move some of my workouts to the air-conditioned gym (as if I'd ever say no to weight training!).

What about the food?

I try to eat light meals that are easy to prepare (because who has the energy to stand in the kitchen in this heat?) that aren't heavy on the stomach and are also low in calories and fat (after all, we have to take our shirts off at the beach eventually).

I want to introduce you to an exciting new product that recently hit the shelves: the new flavored Tofu by Tnuva.

They released three versions, and one of them is Spicy Tofu with garlic and Shatta pepper. In my opinion, it pairs perfectly with oriental, Mexican, Indian, or Thai dishes.

And don't worry, it's not "hot"—just slightly spicy, exactly as it says on the package.

I made a Mexican-style crispy vegan spring roll dish that is entirely gluten-free.

It's easy to make, festive enough for hosting (maybe for the next big game?) and very tasty.

How is it crispy, you ask?

A little trick: After rolling the rice paper with the spicy tofu, bean spread, corn, and vegetables, I baked the vegan spring rolls in the oven. They became crispy just like an eggroll or a bourekas (only less oily and gluten-free!).

And no, you don't have to bake them—they are delicious unbaked as well.

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How do you eat it?

Four or five vegan spring rolls can be a wonderful solution for a full, satisfying lunch, or alternatively, a great post-workout meal due to the high amount of protein and calcium.

It's a perfect dish for a cutting phase or for those sensitive to gluten.

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Nutritional Values:

Per one spring roll:

90 kcal

6g Carbs

4g Protein

6g Fat (of which 1g is saturated fat)

40mg Calcium

Ready for the recipe?

Vegan Spring Rolls

Vegan spring rolls, Mexican-style crispy, gluten-free, low in fat and calories. Fun for lunch or serving to guests. Only 90 calories per unit.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Serving size 10 Spring rolls

Ingredients

• 1 package Tnuva Spicy Tofu 300g
• 10 Rice paper sheets Round, 16cm diameter
• 1 cup Cooked red beans Canned or frozen (Sunfrost style)
• 1 Onion Cut into quarters
• 1 Chopped scallion
• 1 cup Corn kernels Frozen is fine
• 1 Tomato Chopped
• 1 bunch Cilantro Chopped
• 1 Shatta pepper Sliced - if you like it spicy
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 Garlic clove
• 1 tsp Black sesame seeds Regular ones also work
• 1 Bowl of water

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Prepare the red bean spread:
3. In a food processor, blend the red beans, onion, and garlic well until a smooth paste is formed.
   
4. Cut the tofu into cubes.
5. Assemble the spring rolls:
6. Dip each rice paper sheet in the bowl of water for about 10 seconds until soft.
7. Lay the rice paper sheet on a clean work surface.
8. Spread a teaspoon of the bean paste on the sheet.
9. Arrange tofu cubes lengthwise (about 30g).
10. Add a teaspoon of corn, some chopped tomatoes, cilantro, and scallions.
    
11. Roll the spring roll: First fold the two sides (left and right) inwards, and then roll from bottom to top.
12. Brush each spring roll with a little olive oil.
13. Sprinkle a little sesame seeds on top.
14. Bake for about 25 minutes until golden brown.
15. Serve hot with some chopped cilantro on top.