Monday Meals: Fresh Spring Rolls

When the craving for a crunchy, healthy, flavorful meal hits, most of us start thinking about salad. We love a salad too, don’t get us wrong! But sometimes we need to switch it up, ditch the fork, swap vinaigrette for dipping sauce and make spring rolls. Vietnamese spring rolls are typically not fried, they are fresh, beautiful and light. While they look impressive, they are really not complicated to make. The trick is to get all of your fillings ready before you start to roll: prepare rice noodles, slice veggies and cooked meat, and gather your herbs. Rice paper wrappers are thin and glassy. Out of the package, they are hard; but a quick dip in warm water makes them pliable and tender. The blogger/cooks at White on Rice Couple have a great tutorial on how to wrap your spring rolls. While you are there, check out their recipe for Garlic Spring Rolls. It will get you started on your spring roll journey. Once you realize how easy and delicious they are, they will become a healthy meal staple. Mix proteins, thin sliced veggies and fresh herbs to your heart’s content. Of course you can always make your spring rolls vegetarian, they are a fantastic way to showcase the fresh flavors of your favorite veggies and herbs. The only rule: don’t forget the dipping sauce!

Jessica Gavin tempts us with her Shrimp Spring Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce.

 

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