Fresh Spring Rolls

Since it is Spring, seems as good a time as any to introduce Spring Rolls. If you are familiar with Thai food then you have an idea what they are-and in Thai places, the addition of cream cheese and a Tamarind sauce ontop is pretty classic.

Here I have adapted to my own version-and here's another place you can be creative. The hardest part is finding the spring roll wraps-typically you have to go to an Asian market to find them, but some grocery stores are progressive enough to have them (especially if you live in a large city.)

The spring roll "papers" are hard to describe. They are transparent and hard-and look like sewer covers to me. Using them requires some practice. But all you do is take the paper, and soak it in a bowl of warm water for about 10 to 30 seconds, until it becomes soft and pliable. Then you do your thing.

My thing is to make them like a hand-held salad; I use lettuces, carrots, cabbage,, avocado and cilantro. I don't advise tomatoes only because they are too juicy and mushy for the wrap which is pretty delicate. But use your imagination and fill them with whatever sounds good to you-leftover veggies from the fridge, spinach and egg-the possibilities-like the smoothies-are endless. Then you simply wrap them up, starting with one edge and roll them into a roll. I say "simply" but it's not that simple-it does require some skill to roll them up and to also roll them up tightly-(it helps to tuck the edges in as you are rolling. )Those who might roll their own cigarettes have an advantage here :)

Dipping sauces can be anything you want-a salad dressing of choice, some olive oil and herbs, even a soy sauce. Yogurt-based sauces are really great with this as well. If you prefer a more traditional roll, then cream cheese is the way to go (but that's where it teeters on "unhealthy for real" because of the fat content. You could even mix the veggies in with the cream cheese.

The spring roll papers themselves don't have a taste to me-they are versatile in that you could probably stuff these with fruits and something "sweeter" as well.

I do like to squeeze fresh lime over the filling I use to give it more of a Thai taste, and of course the addition of basil will also give it that Thai flavor.

Its a fun and unique way of eating a salad-wrap a few up, put in a bag or Tupperware and you've got a healthy snack at work!

*this is pretty right on for vegetarian/vegan. Just omit of course, any mentions of cheese, any eggs, and yogurt. For dipping sauces, you'll have to be creative. Most gyoza sauces and store based dipping sauces contain a lot of salt/sugar. Balsamic and seasoned vinegars, low sodium soy sauce-this is an arena I too am still learning about. Honestly, I'd probably allow myself a tradional dipping sauce with salt and some sugar as part of my 10% and just use a little. But if you want to be hard-core about it-and many do because for some, one little taste sends them right back like an addict to a drug, that's fine also. I will do some research but I do know there are a great deal of vegan salad no oil dressings recipes around.