Ok folks, it’s “In The Kitchen” time which is probably my favorite time because I love me food. I find it fundamentally strange when people say eat to live, don’t live to eat. Can’t I do both? And what better food to eat during these excruciatingly hot summer months (yes, it gets hot in Canada too believe it or not) than to indulge in a super healthy and more importantly, oven free meal? I found the recipe for these spring rolls in Chef Roberto Martin’s new cookbook, Vegan Cooking For Carnivores.
Before you start moving your mouse over to the close button, WAIT! Vegan is not a scary, tasteless, or hippie word. Or at least not anymore. Spring rolls are a great example of food that tastes lovely and doesn’t involve a single animal to make. You can see the recipe in full at the bottom of this post. I’m also including a video of Chef Martin preparing another version of spring rolls on The Ellen Show below (he happens to be her and Portia’s personal chef. Lucky ladies!) so you can check that out too. I’ll be adjusting this recipe to what I happened to have on hand at the time so they wont be the exact same recipe but that’s another fabulous feature of this meal. You can make it a zillion different ways and have it taste like heaven every time.
The steps are super easy. Basically take all your veggies out of the fridge and chop up what you fancy. I went with lettuce, red and orange peppers, green onion, carrots and mango. Be sure to dice up everything nice and small so it will easily fill your rice paper roll.
Then I added some herbs from my garden which is so stupidly exciting for me. Something about having grown it myself and having it on hand when I need it is exhilarating. Some people like to jump out of planes, I have an herb garden.
I added cilantro, mint, and basil chopped finely. You can also cut some thin slices of avocado at this point and put them to the side to add with your filling later. Now pause and take a whiff of your bowl for the smells of summer at its finest.
This was my first time using rice paper but it was easier to use than opening and heating a can of beans. You literally just need to dip a sheet in some warm water for about 20 seconds and you’re good to go. I used a cookie sheet so the entire rice paper sheet can be moistened at once. The higher the temp of the water the quicker it will be ready to use.
Lay your sheet out on a cutting board and straighten it out, checking for tears and holes.
Now scoop a big spoonful of your filling onto the sheet about 1/3rd down from the top.
Add a couple slices of avocado and sprinkle on a little pepper if you dig it.
Then roll the bottom of the sheet up and over the filling and tuck it underneath nice and snugly. It reminded me of rolling up my sleeping bag as a kid except you wont have to stuff this into a ridiculously tiny bag once you roll it all the way up.
Now you want to flip both sides of the roll towards the center to seal up the sides. The moisture from the rice paper acts as an awesome glue to hold everything together so it’s really a cinch to get right. Then you just finish rolling it out to the end.
And viola, there’s your completed spring roll! I cut each of these babies on a diagonal so you can see the colorful goodness inside and arranged them on a plate all fancy-like:This would be an awesome starter at a party or served with a summer BBQ. We had them as our dinner and they were perfect. I could eat them like potato chips. What’s also great is they are incredibly filling but you’re full of guilt-free food so everyone’s a winner :)
The dipping sauce for these guys is super flavorful. It’s also crazy painless to make too. Check out the recipe in full below for the instructions on the rolls and how to make a yummy sauce to dunk them in:Mango Spring Rolls
Rolls:
1 package Rice Paper
2-3 cups of Lettuce, finely chopped (I used romaine)
1 Red and Orange Pepper, finely chopped
1 Medium Size Carrot, grated or cut finely
1 Mango, diced
1/2 cup Green Onions, finely chopped
1 Handful Each of Cilantro, Mint and Basil, roughly chopped
2 Avocados, in slices
Sauce:
Juice of 1 Lemon, Lime, and Orange
1 tsp Fresh Ginger Grated
1 Clove Garlic, minced
1/2 cup Soy Sauce
1/2 cup Water
Directions:
Combine all the vegetables for rolls except avocados in a large bowl and mix well. Lay a sheet of rice paper in warm water for 20 seconds. Lay paper out on flat surface and spoon filling onto lower portion of paper. Add 1 or slice of avocado and fold the bottom of rice paper over the filling tucking it snugly underneath. Fold over the sides of the paper towards the center to seal sides. Continue rolling to the end of sheet and slice roll in half. arrange on plate.
For sauce, whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl.
Enjoy.
And that’s all it takes. It’s a great way to beat the heat and get your fresh summer veggie servings. What kinds of things do you cook during summer that avoid the dreaded oven? Share your thoughts!
And as promised, here is Chef Martin preparing a similar version of these rolls on The Ellen Show:
(All photos are property of Reckless Bliss)
Diane Keaton isn’t just an Oscar winning actress, director, photographer, and philanthropist, she also has “home flipper extraordinaire” listed on her already stacked resume. Ms Keaton has been known to purchase houses and restore them for resale all while remaining an A-list star (Suddenly I feel like a major under-achiever...) Although this adorable three year old Cape Cod style home is not currently on the market it wouldn’t be surprising to see it listed soon since she is known for purchasing, flipping and selling homes quickly. 
The home is located in the Pacific Palisades, California and has 7,800 square feet for her and her two children, Duke and Dexter, to stretch out and relax in. Within that massive space there are a total of six bedrooms and nine bathrooms.
I feel anti-feminist just saying this but is there a woman alive who doesn’t love a gigantic beautiful kitchen island? If there is, we probably wouldn’t get along. 
Of course the house has all the usual top of the line frills like a movie theater, wine room, gym and game room. If you’ve got 7,800 square feet to fill then why not right? I’m really digging the warm open living and kitchen area.
This bedroom reminds me a lot of the interior design from Keaton’s film “
One of my most favorite people, Celine Dion, has listed her breathtaking French-Normandy style home for $29.7 million which just happens to sit on its very own gated 20 acre island. It’s said that she and her husband Rene Angelil want to spend more time in their main place of residency, Las Vegas, while Celine fulfills her performance obligations with Cesar’s Palace.
The home is being sold to include all furnishings and artwork. So all the grief of finding and filling this 24-thousand square foot home is done for you. And might I add that staircase is fit for royalty!
The home has its own private bridge, 3 dining rooms (one formal one which can sit 18 people), three living rooms, double master bedrooms, and a library.
This is the wood paneled library for all your reading needs. I wouldn’t mind curling up on that red sofa and snuggling in with some classic fiction like Bronte or Austen. Every room also has a water view brimming with inspiration and there is an elevator which can take you to any of the four floors the mansion has to offer. (Rich people don’t do four flights of stairs.)
This is one of the double master bedrooms. All the fabric, sheers and draperies are custom made for the home. Is that bed not incredible? Celine has some brilliant taste I must say.
Celine and Rene plan on buying a smaller home in Quebec once her contract is finished with Cesar’s Palace. I am a HUGE fan of hers so it’s kind of a thrill to think about the idea of living in the home of one of your idols. Too bad I’m not filthy rich, or mildly wealthy, or fairly well-off but it could happen….
And of course, like all palatial homes this one has its own wine cellar complete with a tasting room. Can you imagine living in a home that has its own room designated to just get loaded in? Talk about posh!
What do you think of Celine’s French Normandy style home? Too much frills or fabulously exquisite? 
I have recently discovered the decadent PBS series Downton Abbey. The show is rich with storylines revolving around the Grantham clan and the numerous other people in their lives, but that’s only half the reason to watch. The Edwardian era of style is back in full swing with the interior design, architecture, and fashions. Every scene is filled with breathtaking views whether inside the castle or on the grounds. The show is filmed in Hampshire at Highclere Castle, which sits upon 1,000 acres. However, the kitchen and quarters to the servants are filmed in London on a soundstage due to the fact that the Highclere has since updated those rooms. Below are some shots of the grandeur style of the Castle and the elegant fashions of Downton’s early 20th century.
Highclere Castle was built by architect Sir Charles Barry in 1842. Barry also built the House of Parliament (aka. Palace of Westminster).
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