Fresh Homemade Spring Rolls

Homemade Spring Rolls are a great way to eat raw vegetables. Roll up your fresh vegetables inside a rice wrap with noodles and peanut sauce, to turn them into an exotic lunch or healthy appetizers to serve guests. They are even great for bringing on a picnic!

Include kids in the project! Kids love hands on cooking projects and are more interested in eating things they helped prepare. My (Jo’s) daughter won’t touch a cooked beet, but when we grate them up raw and wrap them in a rice wrap she gobbles them down. Spring rolls are a fun way to eat fresh veggies for kids and grown ups alike!

The basics for this recipe are noodles and fresh veggies. I love including beets, cucumbers and carrots for their sweet crunch. The sprouts and lettuce provide the lightness and extra chlorophyll of greens. You can be creative and include any fresh whole foods you are drawn too. Make sure they are nutritious and full of life giving energy. I particularly like the flavor of mint leaves in this recipe. The delicate taste contrast is scrumptious!!

You can find rice wraps and noodles in the Asian section of your local grocery or in Asian markets.

Ingredients:

(use organic whenever possible)

6 rice wraps

2 servings of bean thread noodles or rice noodles

2 medium carrots

1 medium beet

½ cup sprouts

3-4 leaves of romaine lettuce or spinach

½ cucumber (unwaxed)

24 mint leaves

1. Bring water to a boil. Remove from heat and place dry noodles in the water to soak for about 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, grate carrots and beets, chop romaine leaves and cut cucumber into 4” matchsticks.
3. Lay out all ingredients around a central workspace, like a clean cutting board.
4. Pour off some of the hot water into a shallow pan large enough to fit a rice wrap.
5. Drain noodles and place near work area.

To wrap the spring rolls:

1. Soak a rice wrap in the hot water for a couple of seconds.
2. Remove and place onto clean work surface.
3. Lay out some of each ingredient in the rice wrap leaving room on either side to fold.
4. Fold sides and closest edge of rice wrap over filling ingredients and roll wrap away from you, keeping it tight.

Serves 3