Fresh Spring Rolls

These Fresh Spring Rolls are a light and delicious snack you can feel good about eating time after time. What’s not to love about a variety of colorful veggies and herbs layered on top of savory shrimp and dipped into a delicious peanut sauce?  I like to use a combination of carrots, cucumber, purple cabbage, snow peas, herbs, and green onions for these rolls, but you can sub in or omit just about any veggie you like.  I like to cut my veggies very finely so that you’ll get an even bite every time, nothing is worse than a huge chunk of cucumber among your finely shredded vegetables!  When it comes to the shrimp, one method I’ve found that’s worked best  is to add them to boiling water and immediately cut the heat and let the shrimp cook off the residual heat.  Once your shrimp is done cooking, immediately toss it into an ice bath, this will halt the cooking and keep your shrimp nice and tender.  When it’s time to assemble your Fresh Spring Rolls, make sure you’re following the package instructions on your rice paper wraps and make them one at a time, this is unfortunately not a recipe you can make in bulk.  To assemble, I start by adding my shrimp to the bottom and layering my veggies on top, this way you see the shrimp through the rice paper.  You definitely don’t want to over fill these so just use a little of each veggie to make your wrap.  Now for the tricky part, wrapping up your Fresh Spring Rolls.  I’ve found that the best method is to fold one side of the wrap over the veggies going long ways, fold the top and bottom of the wrap over your long fold, and finally roll towards the open side, tucking the wrap together as you go.  It may take one, or in my case, several tries to get the wrap to look pretty, but rest assured, it will taste fabulous whether it looks pretty or not.  Have kids?  This is a great food project for them to participate in, plus it gets them eating their veggies!  These Fresh Spring Rolls can be eaten as a healthy snack, a side dish, or even as a light meal to take to the pool or beach.  Either way you choose to enjoy them, you’ll surely be in for a fresh and healthy bite.  Speaking of a bite, did you know about that time I almost got bit by a goose?  A well known fact about myself among those who know me is that I am absolutely terrified of geese.  Just take a few minutes to search up some videos of random goose attacks and you’ll understand why.  One day, my kids and I were off to the park when we heard a cacophony of honks and unrecognizable noises over by the fishing pond.  I figured it was some geese getting into a scrape but when I took a glance over towards the pond, I saw the most terrifying thing I could ever imagine, it was a goose charging at us head bent down and wings out.  In other words, this goose had a serious beef with us and had a score to settle.  I had to think fast so I led my kids to the higher parts of the playground where the goose couldn’t get to us.  Unfortunately, our haven wasn’t big enough to fully fit us all so my leg was draped over the side of a slide where the irate goose was furiously trying to bite at my toes.  I tried my best not to panic and dodged each and every goose bite when I realized that people were passing by who were either concerned or highly amused.  Thankfully one of the concerned passersby called animal control who quickly swooped in and rescued us from our angry little friend.  Once the goose was apprehended and in custody, we all shakenly came down from the play equipment and quickly made it to our car.  My one son cried in the back seat while the other laughed uncontrollably. I just sat there and reflected on how my life just flashed before my eyes.  After taking several moments to calm down, we drove home awestruck at what had just happened.  We needed a good snack and an even better distraction, and that’s when we decided to whip up a delicious batch of Fresh Spring Rolls.