Wow, summer showed up fast. And with all this heat and humidity, there's one thing I really want to eat: Mexican food. You get me, right?
Something about red beans, hot peppers, and corn just hits the spot when the temperature climbs and the humidity gets ridiculous.
What about summer workouts, you ask?
I try to dial things back this time of year: slower runs, shorter distances, and earlier starts whenever possible. I also move some workouts into the air-conditioned gym. Like I'm going to turn down a chance to lift weights!
And the food?
I go for light, easy meals—because who has the energy to stand in a hot kitchen and cook? Nothing that sits like a brick in my stomach, and preferably something low in calories and fat. That shirt isn't staying on at the beach, after all.
I've been excited to introduce you to something new on the shelves: flavored tofu from Tnuva (a major Israeli dairy and soy brand).
They've released three varieties, including a mildly spicy tofu with garlic and shatta peppers (hot chile peppers common in Israeli cooking). I think it would work beautifully in Mexican, Indian, Thai, and all sorts of other dishes.
Don't worry: it's not fiery. It has just a little kick, exactly as the package promises.
I used it to make crispy, Mexican-inspired vegan spring rolls that are also gluten-free.
They're easy to put together, festive enough for company—maybe while watching a game against Mexico?—and seriously delicious.
Wait, how do they get crispy?
Here's the little trick: after wrapping the spicy tofu, bean spread, corn, and vegetables in rice paper, I baked the rolls. They turned crispy, like an egg roll or bourekas (flaky Israeli savory pastries), only with less fat and no gluten.
And no, you don't have to bake them. They're delicious unbaked, too.
____________________________________
How do I make a meal of these?
Four or five vegan spring rolls make a wonderfully satisfying lunch. With plenty of protein and calcium, they're also a great option for a post-workout meal.
They're a good fit when you're working on getting leaner or avoiding gluten.
__________________________________
A quick nutrition breakdown:
Per spring roll
90 calories
6 g carbohydrates
4 g protein
6 g fat (including 1 g saturated fat)
40 mg calcium
Looking for another vegan spring roll recipe?
Vegan Spring Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 package Tnuva spicy tofu 300 g (10.6 oz)
- 10 rice paper wrappers round, 16 cm (6.3 inches) in diameter
- 1 cup cooked red beans canned or frozen beans from Sunfrost (an Israeli frozen-food brand) work, too
- 1 onion quartered
- 1 scallion, chopped
- 1 cup corn Sunfrost frozen corn works, too
- 1 tomato chopped
- 1 bunch cilantro chopped
- 1 shatta pepper sliced—if you like extra heat
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 teaspoon black sesame seeds regular sesame seeds work, too
- 1 bowl of water
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
-
Make the red bean spread:
-
Process the red beans, onion, and garlic in a food processor until you have a smooth, evenly blended paste.
-
Cut the tofu into cubes.
-
Assemble the spring rolls:
-
Dip each rice paper wrapper in the bowl of water for about 10 seconds, until softened.
-
Lay the rice paper flat on your work surface.
-
Spread 1 teaspoon of the bean mixture over the rice paper.
-
Arrange 30 g (about 1 oz) of tofu cubes in a line across the wrapper.
-
Add 1 teaspoon of corn, a little chopped tomato, cilantro, and scallion.
-
Roll up the spring roll: First fold in the right and left sides, then roll from the bottom up.
-
Brush each spring roll with a little olive oil.
-
Sprinkle a few sesame seeds on top.
-
Bake for about 25 minutes, until golden.
-
Serve hot, topped with a little chopped cilantro.
