Yummy Yummy Spring Rolls!

There are two things in life that you can't buy:  Fabulous Friends and Homegrown Tomatoes (it's a song, look it up).  Well tomato season never real got going around these parts, but thank goodness I have Melissa of They Call Me Hypo.  We had our Asian food extravaganza and it turned out AMAZING.  She made Baked Crab Ragoons that were low fat, delicious and easy to make.  Seriously go to her blog and check them out.

I made Fresh Spring Rolls that will go great with anyone's asian themed meal.  These are the perfect appetizer because they are low calorie and very filling.  They are a perfect start to your meal, or even as part of the main course.  The best part is they are really easy to make and you can substitute the vegetables you like for ones that you don't.  The first recipe of these I tried had a lot of rice sticks in them, but I added sprouts instead.  So vary the recipe based on your likes.

Fresh Spring Rolls with Sweet Sesame Dipping Sauce

Fresh Spring Rolls

• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1/4 cup packed cilantro leaves (or more if you love cilantro as much as I do)
• 1 cup shredded lettuce
• 1 cup clover sprouts
• 1 tsp chopped garlic (yeah, right.  I think I used about a tablespoon)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green onion
• 1 cup chopped, seeded red bell pepper
• 16 cooked medium shrimp, shelled and deveined, cut lengthwise.
• 8, 8 inch round spring roll wrappers (I use tapioca wrappers)
• red pepper flakes, to taste

1. Mix all the veggies, and the red pepper flakes, into a large bowl until they are well combined.
2. Soak the spring roll wrappers until they are soft and malleable. Lay them out on a flat surface and smooth until flat.
3. Lay four pieces of your shrimp on the wrapper.  I like to put the cooked side down so you can see the color through the wrapper.
4. Place about 3/4 cup of the veggie filling over the shrimp.  Fold one side of the wrapper over the top of the filling.  Then fold the ends up over the top wrapper.  Then just roll until the wrapper is securely holding the filling in.  Be careful not to tear the wrapper, but also work to make sure the wrap isn't too loose.
5. Continue until you have all eight rolls completed.
6. Dip and enjoy!

Sweet Sesame Dipping Sauce

• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/4 cup rice-wine vinegar
• 1 Tbl sesame oil
• 2 Tbl reduced sodium soy sauce
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp fresh ground ginger

1. Mix all ingredients in a jar, secure lid tightly, and then shake it!
2. Enjoy it with your spring rolls.

A super easy, super healthy recipe.  Nutritional Information per serving of 1 spring roll and 1 Tbl sauce:  130 calories, 15g carbs, 1g fat, 13g protein, 1g fiber.

Don't you just want to eat all of that?  Well you can!!!

Look forward to next month when Three Stones/They Call Me Hypo will conquer healthy holiday options!  Things will be delicious you'll be able to serve them to your whole family without anyone knowing they're good for you!  Be there!  Now go over to They Call Me Hypo and check out the recipes for Baked Crab Ragoons and Sushi, so you can impress your friends with an Asian food night!