Fresh Spring Rolls

I love Pad Thai Fresh Rolls.  They are Ah-Mazing!  They are also really diet friendly.  I like diet friendly.  You get to eat a lot of food for not too many calories.  It's a definite win.  They don't make fantastic left-overs, so if you make them, you should plan to eat them, or just know that tomorrow they will be good- but not great.  They aren't difficult to make, but they do take some time.  If you have a spouse that likes to spend time with you in the kitchen- or you are looking for a good date idea, these would be fun to make together. :)

I'm going to give an ingredient list, but you put in what you like.  These are adaptable to suit your tastes.

Fresh Rolls
1 pkg. rice paper wrappers (look in the Asian foods section of your local grocer)
1 pkg of mung bean noodles (these are dry in the Asian foods section)
2 carrots peeled and julienne cut
1 cucumber peeled, seeded and julienne cut
4-5 large leaves of lettuce Chopped (try romaine)
4-5 pieces of cooked bacon, cut in half and then sliced into thin strips
1 green onion
1 small bunch cilantro or mint leaves
1 avocado

Sauce
2-3 Tbl. Rice vinegar
2-3 Tbl. Sesame Oil

1 Tbl. Soy Sauce
1 Heaping Tbl. Peanut butter
2 tsp. honey
1 Tbl. brown sugar
1 Tbl. minced garlic
dash of red pepper flakes

Method

Place the bean noodle in a bowl of cold water for 10 min.  Then drain and transfer to a bowl of hot water for 4-5 minutes, Drain.  (I do the soaking while I'm chopping my veggies.)

Line up all your ingredients on the counter assembly style.

Place hot water in a bowl.  Next to that place 2 paper towels.  Take your rice papers out of the package.  Take the first paper and dip it into the bowl of water.  Don't wait for it to get soft.  If you do, it will break when you try to fill it.  Just dip it in and set it on the paper towels.  Now place a few pieces of mint or cilantro on the bottom 1/3 of the paper.  Add some carrots, cucumber,  bacon, onion, and the noodles. Now you add the  lettuce and the avocado.  Fold each side in and then roll the paper around the ingredients.  (Think of wrapping a burrito).

Set on a plate and do the next one.  You can really only do one at a time, because you don't want wet rice paper waiting around for you.  It would get too soft.  This recipe should make about 12, so that is four servings.

For the sauce:
Just combine all the ingredients and wisk.  Taste it.  If you need more sweet add sugar or honey.  If you need more salt, add soy sauce.  You can use fish sauce, but I don't usually have that on hand.  :)

For fun you can crush some peanuts to serve with the rolls.  You dip first in the sauce, then in the peanuts.  It's super yummy.  :)