Happy Monday! I hope you all had a great weekend. Today, I wanted to share an easy and fun recipe that is my own spin on Vietnamese spring rolls. These rolls are very light and refreshing, and would make a great appetizer or a scrumptious lunch. I usually like to pair them with my sweet and spicy peanut sauce for dipping!

For these rolls, I used shrimp from our local fish market. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the shrimp (deveined) to the water. They will cook VERY fast, so don’t walk away from the pot.

Remove shrimp with a slotted spoon or fork when they have just turned pink. Immediately, add them to a bowl of ice water to prevent further cooking.

Once your shrimp have cooled down, slice them in half length-wise. Cut your bell pepper and cucumber into long, thin strips. For your herbs, prepare individual mint leaves and big leafy cilantro stalks.

Let’s talk noodles. Noodles will add bulk and substance to your rolls, and they are also quite tasty! The most basic option are rice noodles, which you can find at any grocery store. Two other options, which are lower in carbs, include Miracle Noodles and any brand of tofu noodles. All three noodles have different tastes and textures, so you can experiment to find what works for you.

To create the rolls, you will need rice paper sheets. These usually come in big packages and are dry and brittle. To get them ready for your roll, pour warm water onto a plate large enough to fit a whole sheet. Submerge the rice paper in the warm water and allow it to soak for about 30 seconds or until your sheet is completely soft (timing depends on how warm your water is).

Now the fun part – creating your rolls! Add your ingredients and then fold up your rolls like a burrito! Fold in the west and east edges, then fold up the south edge, and roll towards the north edge to create your roll!

Sweet and Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce

• 1/2 cup smooth, all-natural peanut butter
• 2 tsp. reduced sodium soy sauce
• 4 tsp. lime juice (or half a lime’s juice)
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• ¼ tsp. garlic powder
• ¼ tsp. ground ginger
• Chili powder (to taste, based on your spice preference)
• Hot water, as needed

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients, except hot water, in a jar or bowl.
2. Add hot water as needed, 1 tbsp at a time, until you reach a consistency appropriate for dipping (the sauce will firm up after refrigeration, so it may require additional hot water).
3. Note: this is a very versatile peanut sauce and may be used for more than just dipping! Try it with chicken, tofu, broccoli, noodles, or anything else that needs a sweet and spicy punch :)

Spring Rolls

• Dry rice paper sheets
• Tofu noodles, Miracle Noodles, or rice noodles
• Cooked shrimp, cut in half length-wise
• Cucumber
• Bell pepper
• Cilantro
• Mint

Directions

1. Cook shrimp until just pink and transfer to a bowl of ice.
2. Cut shrimp length-wise. Cut cucumber and bell peppers into long, thin pieces. Prepare your herbs and noodles.
3. Soak one rice paper sheet in warm water until soft and transfer it to a clean surface.
4. Add wrap ingredients to the rice paper, leaving at least 1 inch of room on the ends.
5. Fold in the west and east edges, then fold up the south edge, and roll towards the north edge to create your roll!

Bon appetit!