Growing up Vietnamese-American in the United States, my Mom always cooked Vietnamese food for us. I have fond memories sitting around the table and with all of the ingredients spread out and each member of my family rolling their own spring rolls.

Vietnamese spring rolls need to be served immediately so you'd roll one and eat it and then roll the next one and repeat.

If you're looking for the fried ones, I also share my Mom's recipe for Vietnamese egg rolls!

Make this recipe for Vietnamese spring rolls for your family and friends and they will be wowed! I know you'll love them and make them over and over again!

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Vietnamese Spring Rolls

Servings 10 spring rolls

Ingredients

• 5 ounces rice vermicelli noodles
• 30 to 40 large shrimp more if smaller
• Boston or red leaf lettuce
• fresh cilantro
• fresh Thai basil
• cucumber cut into wedges (optional)
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 Tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 1 splash fish sauce optional
• 1 garlic clove peeled and minced
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup water
• chopped peanuts for garnish
• 10 to 12 sheets of rice paper 8 to 8.5-inch in diameter

Instructions

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook rice noodles according to package instructions.
• Drain noodles in a colander and rinse with cold water for at least a minute. Noodles should not be sticky. Set aside and allow the noodles to dry.
• Making the peanut dipping sauce. Add peanut butter, hoisin sauce and fish sauce to a small mixing bowl and mix together. Add minced garlic and sugar to the bowl and mix again. Add water 1/3 cup at a time and whisk thoroughly. Sauce will appear curdled at first, keep whisking and you’ll have a smooth sauce.
• Rinse the pot out and add new water. Add salt and bring to a boil again. Add shrimp and boil for 2 to 3 minutes and longer if you’re using frozen shrimp. Drain and rinse with cold water. (If shrimp is not peeled, peel the shrimp after it has cooled.)
• Prep the cucumber and other veggies. If you’re using large shrimp, cut them in half lengthwise.
• To wrap the spring rolls, you want to have a nice smooth round plate (you can use two if you’d like to roll more than one at a time). Place warm water in a rice paper holder or in a large bowl. Dip one rice paper roll in the water but don’t let it soak in it. Make sure the whole paper is wet.
• Place on your plate and add shrimp on the back third of the rice paper (further away from you). On the front third (closer to you), add lettuce, cucumber, cilantro and Thai basil. 
• Fold the sides of the rice paper into towards the filling. Then roll from the lettuce side in, tightly rolling up and you’ll notice that the shrimp is facing out on the rice paper.
• Spring rolls need to be served immediately.

The post Vietnamese Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce appeared first on The Little Kitchen.

This post is sponsored by Rhodes Bake-N-Serv.

Have you seen bagel balls at a popular coffee place around the country? You can now make them at home…no yeast and no mixing of flour! Just six ingredients or less depending on what your favorite bagel toppings are!

These little bagel balls are so popular because they taste amazing and they are an easy on the go breakfast or snack, essentially it's a cream cheese filled bagel, think bagel balls stuffed with cream cheese.

Can you see the cream cheese? No need to slice your bagel or spread cheese on it because it's cream cheese stuffed bagel bites!

Can you freeze stuffed bagel bites?

You can totally freeze bagel bites after making them. I put them in a zippered plastic bag. Always label when you're freezing food, add the date and what's in the bag! (This makes your life easier later on!)

To reheat them, I defrosted them in the refrigerator overnight and heated them up in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 5 to 6 minutes.

Ingredients for making stuffed bagel bites

• Rhodes Bake N Serve Yeast Dinner Rolls (these are located in your grocer's freezer section)
• cream cheese
• baking soda
• one egg white
• your favorite bagel toppings (I used sesame seed, everything bagel seasoning and shredded asiago cheese)

I love love Rhodes frozen Yeast Dinner rolls, I have made pretzel rolls with them as well as cheddar cheese cloverleaf rolls. I have baked them up according to the directions on the back of the bag and used the rolls as slider burger rolls and buns for pulled pork sliders too!

How to make stuffed bagel bites

Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and place frozen Rhodes Bake N Serve Yeast Dinner Rolls on it.

Spray a sheet of plastic wrap with the cooking spray and allow the rolls to defrost for 2 hours on the counter.

Cut up the cream cheese into four even pieces and cut each piece into 4 more pieces.

One by one, cut each roll in half using kitchen shears.

Flatten just a little bit (as pictured above).

Place a piece of cream cheese in the middle.

Wrap the dough around it and keep pinching the dough to seal it. Be sure to seal it up nicely so the cream cheese doesn’t burst out of the bagel balls while baking.

Allow the rolls to rest on the same prepared baking sheet for 45 to 60 minutes (rewrap with the sprayed plastic wrap).

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Heat your oven to 400 degrees F.

Once it’s boiling, carefully add the baking soda. Turn the heat down to medium. The water needs to be hot but it’s better if it’s not continually boiling for this next step.

Add a few rolls at a time to the pot and allow to cook for 15 to 30 seconds.

Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel lined plate or baking sheet.

Add rolls to a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Brush each roll with the beaten egg white. Add toppings to each bagel bite.

I used sesame seed on a few. Everything bagel seasoning on some of them.

And shredded Asiago cheese.

After baking for 17 to 18 minutes, here's how they look!

Make sure to allow them to cool for at least 10 minutes before trying them.

These cream cheese stuffed bagel bites make me smile!

These little bagel balls stuffed with cream cheese are wonderful! They are so easy to make!

Okay, add it to your to do list, to get Rhodes frozen Yeast Dinner Rolls from the store and make these bagel bites soon! This week!

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Stuffed Bagel Bites Recipe

Servings 16 bagel bites

Ingredients

• 8 Rhodes Bake N Serve Yeast Dinner Rolls
• 4 ounces cream cheese cut into 16 evenly sized pieces
• 1 Tablespoon baking soda
• 1 egg white beaten

Bagel Toppings

• Sesame seed
• Everything bagel seasoning
• Shredded asiago cheese

Instructions

• Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and place frozen dinner rolls on it. Spray a sheet of plastic wrap with the cooking spray and allow the rolls to defrost for 2 hours on the counter.
• Cut up the cream cheese into four even pieces and cut each piece into 4 more pieces.
• One by one, cut each roll in half and flatten just a little bit. Place a piece of cream cheese in the middle and wrap the dough around it and keep pinching the dough to seal it. Be sure to seal it up nicely so the cream cheese doesn’t burst out of the bagel balls while baking.
• Allow the rolls to rest on the same prepared baking sheet for 45 to 60 minutes (rewrap with the sprayed plastic wrap)
• Bring a pot of water to a boil. Heat your oven to 400 degrees F.
• Once it’s boiling, carefully add the baking soda. Turn the heat down to medium. The water needs to be hot but it’s better if it’s not continually boiling for this next step.
• Add two to three rolls at a time to the pot and allow to cook for 15 to 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel lined plate or baking sheet.
• Add rolls to a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Brush each roll with the beaten egg white. Add toppings to each bagel bite.
• Bake at 400 degrees F for 17 to 18 minutes.
• Allow the rolls to cool for at least 10-15 minutes before enjoying.

Notes

Notes:

You can freeze these and enjoy later! Freeze them in a zippered plastic bag. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in a 350 degrees F oven for a 5 to 6 minutes.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Rhodes Bake-N-Serv. I only work with brands that I love and always share with you my personal opinions.

The post Stuffed Bagel Bites appeared first on The Little Kitchen.

These cheeseburger egg rolls are from the Skinnytaste Meal Prep cookbook! They are made with ground turkey, mushrooms, onions, cheddar cheese and pickles! They taste just like a cheeseburger all wrapped into an egg roll.

Before we talk about how to make these cheeseburger egg rolls, let's talk about the Skinnytaste Meal Prep Cookbook!

It's lovely! First of all, I love love all of Gina Homolka‘s cookbooks. The recipes are always accessible, easy to prep and they taste wonderful.

Her latest cookbook, Skinnytaste Meal Prep: Healthy Make-Ahead Meals and Freezer Recipes to Simplify Your Life, is packed with 120 recipes that are easy to prep so they can be prepped ahead of time or go into the freezer. They are recipes designed to go straight into your pressure cooker, your slow cooker or into the oven!

What's even better is that the recipes in this Skinnytaste cookbook are healthy, of course! I love love how they are simple to make, use ingredients that are easy to find and Gina includes so many great solutions that are grab-and-go ideas for breakfasts and lunches!

There are so many recipes that I put little sticky note on the ones that I want to make, for example, cold soba sesame salad, kofta meatball couscous bowls, turkey taquitos, spicy salmon poke bowls and many more!

Now back to this super fun and easy cheeseburger egg roll recipe from the Skinnytaste Meal Prep cookbook!

These air fryer egg rolls are stuffed with all the delicious toppings from a burger — lots of cheddar cheese, meaty mushrooms, and salty pickles. Yum! 

You can also swap any of these suggested fillings with your favorite burger mix-ins such as jalapeno or chopped bacon! Bacon cheeseburger egg rolls! Need I say more?

How to Make Cheeseburger Egg Rolls

First prep the veggies for these cheeseburger egg rolls. Chop the mushrooms, onions and garlic.

Next, preheat some oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook for a couple minutes until they’re soft.

Next, add the ground turkey to the pan and season with salt.

(Just a note, I removed the mushrooms before this step because I have a spouse who loathes mushrooms. I added them back later on to a batch that were for me. I removed some of the filling later on for him sans mushrooms. I love how you can customize recipes like this to your family's taste!)

Brown the turkey meat, using a wooden spoon to break it up into bite-sized pieces, until it’s just cooked through. This should only take about 4-5 minutes.

Add the onion, garlic, and mustard. Continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft. 

Lastly, drain the meat mixture in a colander and transfer it to a mixing bowl.

Stir in the cheddar cheese.

By this point, everything is ready to be rolled up into the egg roll wrappers!

How to Roll Egg Rolls

Rolling egg rolls can be a little tricky the first few times you do it. But it gets easier after you get the hang of it.

Before you begin, fill a small bowl with water and place it near your work station. You’ll be using the water to seal up the wrappers.

Be sure to cover your egg roll wrappers with damp paper towels. You don't want the edges and corners to dry out, it will make it harder to roll egg rolls!

Start by laying one egg roll wrapper in front of you so that it’s positioned like a diamond.

Spoon a little bit of the meat mixture onto the bottom third of the wrapper and top with a teaspoon of chopped pickles. 

Carefully lift the corner closet to you and gently wrap it around the filling. 

Now, take the right corner and fold inwards.

Fold the left corner inwards.

Continue to roll towards the top corner forming a tight seal. 

Using your finger, wet the top corner and the edges and finish rolling it. Set the egg roll seam side down on a plate and repeat.

Don't they look pretty?

How to Cook Cheeseburger Egg Rolls in an Air Fryer 

Preheat the air fryer to 370 degrees F. Spray the cheeseburger egg rolls with olive oil spray being sure to coat evenly.

Cook the egg rolls for about 7 minutes until crispy and golden brown, being sure to flip the egg rolls halfway through the cooking process to ensure even browning.

How to Freeze Cheeseburger Egg Rolls

If you don’t want or need to fix this entire batch of egg rolls, you can also freeze them and cook them later! 

To freeze: place the unprepared egg rolls onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Freeze for at least 30 minutes. Then, put them into a plastic food storage bag, remove as much air from the bag as possible, and tightly seal.

I always label the bag with the recipe name, date it and put the baking or air fryer instructions so when you're ready to cook them, you're not guessing what it's in the bag and how to cook them.

What goes with Cheeseburger Egg Rolls?

This baked cheeseburger egg roll recipe is a perfect snack while watching a game, especially with that special sauce! The special sauce is perfect for dipping and is unbelievably simple!

You just combine some light mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, and dill pickle juice in a bowl to make the special sauce — and it’s ready to serve.

If you're not a sports fan, they're great for lunch or dinner, served with lettuce and tomatoes on the side.

Let me know if you make this recipe! I would love to hear about it in the comments. And don't forget to pick up the Skinnytaste Meal Prep cookbook!

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Cheeseburger Egg Rolls from Skinnytaste Meal Prep

These egg rolls are filled with everything you love about your favorite burger- pickles, mushrooms, and cheddar. They're perfect for snacking while watching a game, but if you're not a sports fan, like me, they're great for lunch or dinner, served with lettuce and tomatoes on the side. You can also swap your favorite burger mix-ins such as chopped bacon or jalapeno! My best advice for making egg rolls is to be sure there is no extra moisture in the filling. You can cook them all at one time if you're entertaining, or you can freeze the ones you don't cook- they bake from frozen beautifully.

Servings 7

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 cup white mushrooms chopped
• 1 1/4 pounds 93% lean ground turkey
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1 small onion chopped
• 3 garlic cloves chopped
• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 14 egg roll wrappers
• 5 Tablespoons finely chopped pickles drained on paper towels
• Olive oil spray

Special sauce (for dipping)

• 1/4 cup light mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons ketchup
• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
• 1 teaspoon dill pickle juice

Instructions

• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the mushrooms. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft. Add the turkey and salt. Brown the meat, using a wood spoon to break it into small pieces, until just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the onion, garlic and mustard, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft.
• Drain the meat in a colander, then transfer to a mixing bowl and mix in the cheese.
• One at a time, place an egg roll wrapper on a clean surface, positioning it in a diamond shape in front of you. Spoon 1/4 cup turkey mixture onto the bottom third of the wrapper. Top with about 1 teaspoon pickles. Dip your finger in a small bowl of water and run it along the edges of the wrapper. Carefully lift the bottom point nearest to you and wrap it around the filling. Fold the left and right corners in toward the center and continue to roll into a tight cylinder. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.
• Serve Now: Spray all sides of the egg rolls with oil and rub with your fingers to evenly coat. Preheat an air fryer to 370 degrees F. Cook the egg rolls in batches for about 7 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden brown. Serve immediately, with dipping sauce on the side (if using).
• Freeze and Serve Later: Before cooking the egg rolls, transfer to freezer bags, squeeze out as much air as possible, and seal. To cook from frozen, preheat an air fryer to 320 degrees F and cook for 12 to 14 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden brown and crisp. Serve immediately, with dipping sauce on the side (if using).
• No Air Fryer, No Problem! Bake for 12 to 16 minutes in a 400 degrees F oven, flipping halfway through. From frozen, cook for 18 to 20 minutes at 375 degrees F flipping halfway through.

Special sauce (for dipping)

• In a small bowl combine light mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard and dill pickle juice.

Notes

Reprinted from Skinnytaste Meal Prep © 2020 by Gina Homolka. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of the Crown Publishing/Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.

Other Egg Roll Recipes:

Vietnamese Egg Rolls
Chinese Egg Rolls
Avocado Egg Rolls

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Clarkson Potter. I only work with brands that I love and share with you my own opinions. There are affiliate links in this post.

The post Cheeseburger Egg Rolls from Skinnytaste Meal Prep appeared first on The Little Kitchen.

This post is sponsored by Cabot.

I'm sharing with you three different cheese ball recipes including one for a bacon cheese ball. They are so easy to make and everyone, from your family to friends, will be wowed!

Recently, I shared with you how to build a meat and cheese board while working with Cabot Cheese and I'm back to share with you this wonderful recipe! Now you can add this cheese ball recipe to your meat and cheese board!

We are huge fans of Cabot cheeses in our house. We always have at least 2-3 blocks of Cabot cheese in our refrigerator and our grater gets a good workout!

First up, the bacon cheese ball is divine. I can't say I have a favorite among the three cheese ball recipes so I won't but you might be able to take a hint which one might be the most popular!

I love nuts and cheese together so this pecan covered cheese ball is really fun!

And last but not least, do you have a thing for sunflower seeds like I do? I love this cheese ball recipe with sunflower seeds. It has a nice texture and it's perfect!

What do you eat cheese balls with?

You can eat cheese balls with anything you like! I love eating them with different types of crackers! Put a little spreader on your plate so you can spread the cheese with.

What is a cheese ball made of?

• cream cheese
• ground cayenne pepper
• garlic powder
• black pepper
• soy sauce
• green onions
• Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• chopped pecans
• flat leaf parsley
• cooked bacon
• sunflower seeds

How long does a cheese ball last before it goes bad?

You can make your cheese ball recipe a day or two before you're going to serve it. Mine lasted about a week in the refrigerator and it tasted great. Once you refrigerate it, just let it sit on the counter for a few minutes and then it will be easier to spread on crackers.

I used Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar Cheese for this recipe, you can totally use any of your favorite Cabot Cheddar Cheeses!

First, grate your Cabot Cheddar Cheese.

Add softened cream cheese to a mixing bowl.

Add cayenne pepper, garlic powder, pepper, soy sauce and green onions.

And then mix with a rubber spatula.

Add the grated Cabot cheddar cheese to the bowl.

Mix together.

Then divide the cheese mixture into three. 

I put parsley and bacon into a smaller bowl and mix together.

Then, I added the chopped pecans into another bowl.

And then the sunflower seeds in another bowl.

Roll in each 1/3 of the cheese mixture into a ball.

Then, place in the bowls. And the cheese ball in sunflower seeds.

Roll another cheese ball in the bacon and parsley.

Looks so good, doesn't it?

And then roll the last cheese ball in chopped pecans.

I put them on squares of wax paper on a plate and then covered them. Place in the refrigerator at least one hour before serving.

This cheese ball recipe is so easy to make! I know you'll love it with Cabot Cheddar Cheese.

It's perfect for snacking or as an appetizer to serve your family before dinner. Or you can add it to a grazing table!

Looking for another wonderful recipe to add on to your list to make this summer? You should definitely try my beer cheese fondue, it's always a hit with my family as well!

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Cheese Ball Recipe

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 3 cheese ball appetizers

Ingredients

• 2 packages 8 ounces each cream cheese, softened
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon soy sauce
• 2 green onions sliced
• 1 package 8 ounces Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar Cheese, grated

For the outside:

• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 3 Tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
• 4 slices bacon cooked
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds I used salted ones

Instructions

• In a medium sized mixing bowl, add softened cream cheese, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, pepper and soy sauce. Mix thoroughly with a rubber spatula.
• Add green onions and the grated Cabot cheddar cheese and mix.
• Divide the cheese mixture into three.
• Roll each one into a ball.
• Roll one cheese ball in chopped pecans.
• Mix parsley and bacon in a small bowl. Roll the next cheese ball in parsley and bacon.
• Roll the last cheese ball in sunflower seeds.
• Cover and refrigerate at least one hour. (Can be made a few days ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator.)

Other recipes using cheddar cheese:

Cheddar Cheese Cloverleaf Rolls
Two Ingredient Cheese Crisps
Easy Stovetop Mac and Cheese
Broccoli Cheddar Cheese Soup
Three Cheese Mac and Cheese

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Cabot. I only work with brands that I love and I always share with you my own opinions.

The post Cheese Ball Recipe appeared first on The Little Kitchen.

This post is sponsored by Cabot Cheese.

Meat and cheese boards are perfect for gathering with friends and family. And even better, they are great for snacking on or to have as a meal.

I’m excited to work with Cabot Cheese once again and show you how to build a meat and cheese board. AND bring you a giveaway sponsored by Cabot Cheese. Just scroll down for the giveaway information!

How to build a meat and cheese board

There are just four steps to building a great meat and cheese board or platter. You just need the Cabot cheese, the meats, some fruit and some nuts and maybe some sweets.

Please don't be intimidated by this, they are really easy to make once you do it once or twice and get the hang of it. And even better, they taste great and everyone enjoys them!

Start out with a good charcuterie board, they can be wooden like this one, marble or porcelain. Having a couple of different sizes would be nice too so you can have more than one charcuterie tray for guests at a party.

I love the cracker cuts that Cabot offers because you don’t have to slice or cut anything. And they fit nicely on most crackers. We love to keep Cabot Vermont Extra Sharp Cheddar cracker cuts around for when you just feel like snacking!

Cabot Vermont cheddar, let me count the ways I love you. Great for snacking on or for cooking with (like sheet pan nachos or beer cheese fondue). I love Cabot's Extra Sharp and Seriously Sharp cheddars. Have you tried them before?

Cabot's Legacy Collection is so special. I can't pick a favorite! Every meat and cheese board needs at least one of these and your guests will be so happy!

Let’s make the meat and cheese tray!

Step 1, you want to add your cheeses.

I used:

• Cabot Colby Jack Cheese Cracker Cuts
• Cabot Vermont Extra Sharp Cracker Cuts
• I sliced and then cut into wedges: Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• Cabot Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• Cabot Legacy Collection New York Vintage Cheddar Cheese

Next up, add your meats. I used prosciutto and salami. Just two kinds. I think a lot of people think they have to have so many kinds of meats. It’s totally up to you!

You can totally do meatless too and make it a cheese board. I don’t have to do a separate post on how to make a cheese board because it’s the same steps, just omit the meats.

Now add the crackers. I used 4 different kinds of crackers. You can buy variety boxes too!

Next, you’ll add the fruit. Just go with fruit that’s in season. I chose strawberries and two types of grapes. I also added chocolate covered blueberries. You can add dried fruits too if you want!

This is when you want to add more meat, cheese or fruit to fill in the spaces.

You can totally make your charcuterie board ahead of time too! Put it together and cover it and refrigerate it when you’re ready to serve.

I would love to hear what are your favorite ingredients are when you’re making a charcuterie board, let me know in the comments below!

Ingredients and Supplies for a Meat and Cheese Board

• A Charcuterie board like this one or this one
• 4 to 6 types of cheese (I used Cabot cheeses)
• 2 to 4 types of meats
• 2 to 3 types of crackers (I love buying variety boxes)
• 2 to 4 types of fruit (fresh and/or dried)
• 2 to 3 types of nuts and chocolates (optional)

I remember while I was growing up, we called them meat and cheese trays, now they are called charcuterie boards and they are super fancy. Either way, they are tasty and using Cabot cheeses are a must for a great cheese board to impress your family and friends!

Now it’s time for the giveaway! I’m so excited to partner with Cabot Cheese to give one lucky winner this amazing prize.

One winner will win:

• $75 worth of Cabot Cheese (shipped to your house)
• The marble lazy susan I used to make this meat and cheese board
• A Cabot branded Boska hard cheese knife
• A $25 VISA gift card so you can buy anything else you need to build that amazing meat and cheese board!

This giveaway is valued at over $190

Please use the widget below to enter!

Cabot Cheese Board + $25 Gift Card Giveaway

Disclosure: This post and giveaway is sponsored by Cabot Cheese. I only work with brands that I love and I always share with you my own opinions. Giveaway open to USA residents, 18 years of age and older. This giveaway is sponsored by the The Little Kitchen and Cabot Cheese. Giveaway ends on December 22, 2019, at 11:59 p.m EDT. Winner will be emailed on or about December 23, and will have 48 hours to claim the prize. If prize is not claimed, an alternate winner will be selected. If needed, one or more items of the prize may be substituted if not available at the time of prize fulfillment. There are affiliate links in this post.

The post How to Build a Meat and Cheese Board with Cabot + Giveaway appeared first on The Little Kitchen.

This post is sponsored by Best Food Facts.

I love making dumplings! I even taught a workshop near me recently and had so much fun with it. I taught my students how to make these Chinese potstickers! I have been wanting to make a vegetarian or vegan dumplings recipe for a while for friends…so I'm so excited to share these vegetarian dumplings with you!

I grew up eating soy as a child and as an adult, I do have a lot of soy in my diet. From soy milk to tofu and soy sauce, it's in my regular cooking. I had an awesome opportunity to work with Best Food Facts and…

I flew to Maryland recently and I got to tour Lazy Day Farms and tour the crush facility at Perdue. I learned so much and I'm excited to share some of what I learned with you!

Are soybeans sustainable?

We visited Layton Farms which is a third generation family farm. They have about 1300 acres of land and they grow corn, soybean and wheat. I learned from them that soybeans are sustainable. Why are soybeans sustainable? Because they don't require nitrogen or fertilization. Soybeans are legumes, so they produce their own nitrogen.

Another reason soybeans are sustainable is every part of the soybean is used. Once it leaves the farm, depending on the use for the soybean, it's taken to a crush facility and parts of it become feed for chickens and other livestock. Oil is extracted from the soybean to make vegetable oil too! Every part of the soybean is used in some way.

I loved touring the farm and the Perdue crush facility. You can feel enthusiasm and passion from the farmers to the facility employees. They know their stuff and they care about their job.

If you ever get the opportunity to visit a farm or a processing facility so you can see where your food comes from, I highly recommend it. I have a deep appreciation for farmers in our country!

Is soy good for you?

We actually got to meet with Dr. Julie Garden-Robinson, a food and nutrition specialist and she answered our questions about soy and soy milk.  Guess what? Soy is healthy for you! Soy and soy foods are rich in nutrients and protein. They also provide fiber, calcium and iron. It's considered heart healthy because it doesn't contain trans fats and includes essential fatty acids.

I also learned that soy doesn't cause breast cancer as we have often been told. And both men and women can eat soy as part of a healthy diet. For a long time, we heard about phytoestrogen in soy. They are actually plant estrogens. Plant estrogens are different than human hormones. Interesting, right?

More places you can learn about soy:

Best Food Facts
Soy Connection

Now let's get to the recipe. These vegetarian or vegan dumplings have tofu in them so they are little tofu dumplings! There are also some fresh vegetables in them, which make them even better!

Vegetarian Dumplings Ingredients

• 8 ounces firm tofu
• 4 green onions, sliced thin
• 1 cup chopped cabbage (chopped small)
• 1/2 cup grated carrots (peeled first)
• 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• salt and pepper
• 1 Tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• Dipping sauce
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 green onion, sliced thin
• vegetable or grape seed oil
• 1 package round dumpling or gyoza wrappers

How to Make Vegetarian Dumplings

I love eating and cooking with tofu. I know a lot of people are overwhelmed with the thought of cooking with it and there's no reason to be!

First, you want to remove some of the moisture from the tofu. I don't have a tofu press so I just put the tofu on a plate and I put another plate on top. Put something heavy on the plate, I just use two 15 ounce cans. Set the tofu aside while you're prepping the rest of your vegetarian dumplings.

How to make the Vegan Dumplings Filling

Slice the green onions thin.

I cut up the cabbage small.

Shred the carrots with a grater. Make sure to peel them first.

I cut up additional green onions for the dipping sauce. As well as mince some ginger.

I mince the garlic and the ginger for the dumpling filling.

Mix them together and add some oil to it. Set it aside.

Crumble the tofu by hand into a mixing bowl.

Then, add the green onions, carrots and green onions.

Mix together and then add soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, salt and pepper. Mix together thoroughly.

Next, add oil to a nonstick skillet and heat up for 3 minutes. Then add the tofu mixture.

Cook the mixture for 5 to 6 minutes and then move the mixture to the sides of the pan.

Add the garlic and ginger mixture you made earlier.

Use your rubber spatula to press down on the garlic-ginger mixture. Cook for 90 seconds.

Then, mix the garlic and ginger with the rest of the tofu mixture and cook for another 2 minutes.

Once filling is cooked, season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from pan and place on a small baking sheet. Putting the filling in a thin layer on the baking sheet allows it to cool quickly.

Open the dumpling wrappers and place a wet paper towel that has been wrung out on top of it (to keep the wrappers from drying out).

I use vegan dumpling wrappers, they are easy to find at Asian grocery stores. You want to buy the round ones.

Add one teaspoon of filling to the middle of one wrapper. Put water on the top half (edges) of the wrapper and then wipe your fingers dry. Fold in half and pleat.

If you want to learn how to fold a dumpling, you should check out my video on how to fold a dumpling.

Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

You can freeze the dumplings ahead of time! Freeze them on a baking sheet and then put them into a freezer safe bag, be sure to label them with the filling and the date!

Add 1/2 Tablespoon oil to a nonstick skillet (you can use the same pan, just wipe it clean with a clean paper towel). Heat at medium high for 3 minutes.

Add dumplings to the pan, about 10 to 15. Cover the pan and allow to cook for 3 minutes.

Then, add 1/4 cup of water to the pan and recover.

When they are done, they are hot, so let them cool a little bit.

The bottoms are panfried and delicious!

I love love freezing a bunch so I can have them as a snack or for dinner when I please!

Be sure to check out Best Food Facts for tons of resources to answer your questions about soy, any food you enjoy and so much more! You can follow them on instagram and pinterest too!

Print

Vegetarian Dumplings

Servings 40 to 45 dumplings

Ingredients

• 8 ounces firm tofu
• 4 green onions sliced thin
• 1 cup chopped cabbage chopped small
• 1/2 cup grated carrots peeled first
• 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• salt and pepper
• 1 Tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 4 garlic cloves peeled and minced

Dipping sauce

• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 green onion sliced thin
• 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
• vegetable or grape seed oil
• 1 package round dumpling or gyoza wrappers

Instructions

• Remove tofu from packaging and pat dry. Place tofu in a shallow dish. Place a plate on top with a heavy can or two on top. You want to press the moisture out of the tofu. Set aside while prepping the rest of the ingredients.
• Prep the vegetables. In a medium sized mixing bowl, crumble the tofu. Add the four sliced green onions, grated carrots, soy sauce, rice vinegar and sesame oil. Mix together with a rubber spatula. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper and mix again.
• In a nonstick skillet, heat 1 Tablespoon of oil on medium heat for 3 minutes. Add tofu mixture into the skillet and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, staring continuously.
• Move the mixture to the sides of the pan. Add the garlic and ginger mixture you made earlier. Use your rubber spatula to press down on the garlic-ginger mixture. Cook for 90 seconds.
• Then, mix the garlic and ginger with the rest of the tofu mixture and cook for another 2 minutes.
• Once filling is cooked, season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from pan and place on a small baking sheet. Putting the filling in a thin layer on the baking sheet allows it to cool quickly.
• Open the dumpling wrappers and place a wet paper towel that has been wrung out on top of it (to keep the wrappers from drying out).
• Add one teaspoon of filling to the middle of one wrapper. Put water on the top half (edges) of the wrapper and then wipe your fingers dry. Fold in half and pleat.
• Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. You can freeze the dumplings ahead of time!

Cook the vegan potstickers

• Add 1/2 Tablespoon oil to a nonstick skillet (you can use the same pan, just wipe it clean with a clean paper towel). Heat at medium high for 3 minutes.
• Add dumplings to the pan, about 10 to 15. Cover the pan and allow to cook for 3 minutes. Then, add 1/4 cup of water to the pan and recover.
• Serve with soy sauce mixed with 1 teaspoon minced ginger and one sliced green onion.

Notes

Cooking instructions for frozen dumplings
Add more minute of cooking time if you’re cooking frozen dumplings. One extra minute after putting oil into the pan and covering. Add 1/3 cup of water instead of 1/4 when you’re ready to steam them covered. And then one more minute of cooking with the water with pan covered.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Best Food Facts. I only work with brands that I love and share with you my own opinions.

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