Rainbow Summer Rolls – Crunchy, Nutritious, Delicious!

Reena’s Kooky Kitchen

A series of kooky yet nutritious recipes I concoct daily to feed my taste buds AND my health! Hope you enjoy and please share comments if you are brave enough to try these recipes!

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Rainbow Summer Rolls

I recently interviewed Dr. Deanna Minich on her book the Rainbow Diet and she inspired me to think differently about my next meal. I found her color-coded chart inspiring enough to shop for more colors at the farmers market the next day. I bought some red pickled beets, orange carrots, purple cabbage, green arugula, yellow bell peppers, microgreens, pineapple, white daikon radish, cilantro and basil herbs.  

Then I proceeded to make one of my favorite summer foods, summer rolls, but with all the colors of the rainbow. It turned out tangy and sweet and oh so delicious and nutritious. And good to know its healing and supercharging my various body parts too!

Enjoy and share how you make your summer rolls below in comments! Or submit a recipe and we will feature it.

INGREDIENTS (organic, if possible)

• 2 cups arugula
• 1/4 cup pickled red beets chopped small
• 1/4 cup carrots, julienned
• 1/4 cup red cabbage shredded
• 1/4 cup raddish, julienned
• 1/4 cup microgreens
• 1/4 cup chopped Cilantro
• 3 TO 4 Rice paper (you can purchase any grocery store)

Optional: avocado sliced, roasted spears of asparagus, shredded chicken

 Dressing:

• blended 1/2 cup pineapple and 1/4 cup sauerkraut juice (or beet kvass)
• 1 tbsp Organic Apple Cider Vinegar (Braggs)
• a small piece of ginger
• 2 tsp. Coconut Aminos
• 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
• Pinch of black pepper
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon Himalayan or sea salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Blend all the dressing ingredients and put in a container
2. Then toss all the vegetable ingredients, except the rice paper, into a salad bowl and toss in the dressing to coat well
3. Take a plate and put on it the rice paper after wetting it slightly on both sides.
4. Once the rice paper feels soft to touch (less than 30 seconds) scoop out a small portion of the blended ingredients on the rice paper on one side and the roll like a burrito till the end.
5. Slice in half and enjoy!

BENEFITS

• Arugula: All of the nutrients provided by arugula can help the body much more than you may have ever expected. Livestrong states that arugula can help with weight management, lowering blood pressure, improving eyesight (especially at night), and reducing the risk of both cardiovascular disease and cancer. It can also reduce the risk of muscular degeneration of the eye muscles and inflammation throughout the entire body. Interestingly, the folate in arugula can help pregnant women to reduce the risk of having babies with birth defects. Heal With Foods also adds that arugula can boost male fertility and act as an aphrodisiac. It has even been shown that arugula can help to prevent osteoporosis, improve diabetes, and improve athletic performance by reducing that amount of oxygen needed during exercise. Organic Facts also believes that it can strengthen bones, improve skin quality, strengthen brain functions, and boost the immune system.
• Red Beets: They are low in calories and a great source of nutrients, including fiber, folate, and vitamin C. Beets also contain nitrates and pigments that may help lower blood pressure and improve athletic performance. Lastly, beets are delicious and versatile, fitting well into a healthy and balanced diet.
• Carrot: Carrots are a particularly good source of beta-carotene, fiber, vitamin K, potassium and antioxidants(1). Carrots have a number of health benefits. They are a weight loss friendly food and have been linked to lower cholesterol levels and improved eye health.
• Red Cabbage: a cruciferous vegetable that has many proven benefits, including: Boosts the immune system, Fights inflammation & arthritis, Improves bone strength & reduces osteoporosis risk, Combats chronic disease, Strengthens gut health. While both red and green cabbage is good for you, red cabbage packs a more powerful nutritional profile and more overall antioxidants. For example, red cabbage contains about 85 percent of the daily vitamin C our bodies need, while the green version provides 47 percent.
• Microgreens: Researchers found microgreens like red cabbage, cilantro, and radish contain up to 40 times higher levels of vital nutrients than their mature counterparts. Microgreens are young seedlings of edible vegetables and herbs harvested less than 14 days after germination.
• Cilantro:  Rids the Body of Heavy Metals. Protects Against oxidative stress. Lowers Anxiety and Improves Sleep. Lowers Blood Sugar Levels. Protects against Cardiovascular Disease. Prevents Urinary Tract Infections. Settles Digestive Upset. Protects Against Food Poisoning.
• Rice Paper: They are healthy, especially when you use them with fresh, healthy fillings and are not deep-fried. If you want to avoid calories and still have a wholesome meal every day, rice paper wrappers are a great way to do that.
• Pineapple: Pineapples are delicious, low in calories and loaded with nutrients and antioxidants. Their nutrients and compounds have been linked to impressive health benefits, including improved digestion, a lower risk of cancer, improved immunity, relief of arthritis symptoms and improved recovery after surgery and strenuous exercise.
• Sauerkraut: The beneficial probiotics found in sauerkraut are important for good digestive health, and whilst more research is needed into the exact types of beneficial bacteria found in sauerkraut and other fermented foods, we do know that they ‘feed’ the good bacteria in your gut and can help to combat inflammation. Research has shown that probiotics help to reduce some digestive symptoms such as gas, bloating, constipation and may be beneficial to those suffering from conditions such as Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis. There is increasing research on the importance of good gut bacteria in supporting overall long-term health, including how probiotics from cultured foods such as sauerkraut may reduce your risk of conditions such as depression and Alzheimer’s. Sauerkraut also contains enzymes that help the body to break down food into smaller, and more easily digestible molecules which in turn helps the body to absorb more nutrients.
• Apple cider vinegar: Helps improve digestion by increasing stomach acid. Drinking a glass (8 oz) of water mixed with 1-3 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar* 15-20 minutes before a meal can improve digestion and nutrient assimilation by increasing HCl production.
• Ginger: Possible health benefits include relieving nausea, loss of appetite, motion sickness, and pain. The root or underground stem (rhizome) of the ginger plant can be consumed fresh, powdered, dried as a spice, in oil form, or as juice. Ginger is part of the Zingiberaceae family, alongside cardamom and turmeric.
• Coconut Aminos: Aside from being soy free and gluten free, coconut aminos is low GI and packed with minerals, vitamin C, and B vitamins. As the name suggests, it is high in amino acid, containing 17 different types. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein and are essential to our health and nutrition
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: The FDA says eating 2 tablespoons of olive oil a day may reduce the risk of heart disease, due to its monounsaturated fat content. Extra virgin olive oil also contains polyphenols which act as antioxidants, reducing the oxidative stress throughout your body.
• Black Pepper: Include fighting depression, promoting digestion, helping with nutrient absorption, treating ulcers, supporting weight loss, treating cough and sore throat, promoting a healthy heart and soothing toothaches.
• Himalayan Salt: Having enough stomach acid also helps our bodies to absorb vitamins and minerals like calcium, zinc, iron, folate, and B12. So consuming a high-quality sea salt regularly can help your body absorb more nutrients from the foods that you eat. The right amount of sea salt helps your body produce proper amounts of HCL since sea salt provides chloride, which is the building block of stomach acid.

 

 

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