Tofu Spring Rolls

 This is a favorite meal I love to put together on warm summer nights, or just in a flash when I have the right ingredients on hand! I made vegan spring rolls using tofu, but you could easily use any type of meat to fill these up. The spring roll wrappers themselves are VERY light, in everything. You'd have to eat a 1/4 of the package to consumer 280 calories. I believe the package is 12 ounces and has lasted me a couple of years, so there's no danger of actually eating a full serving. Here's everything you'll need:

Tofu Spring Rolls

• 6 ounce package baked tofu, mine was teriyaki flavor
• Bag of prepared shredded veggies such as a coleslaw mix (carrots, broccoli, etc.)
• Spring roll wrappers, at least 6
• Bowl of hot water
• Peanut dipping sauce (recipe below)

Preparation & Assembly Instructions

Luckily these are incredibly simple to make. The only "prep" is making the sauce and chopping up the tofu. I recommend saving yourself a great deal of time by purchasing the bags of shredded vegetables. They're a little more expensive, but they're washed and ready to go. To assemble a roll you need to fill a bowl with hot water, not boiling just hot from the tap. Take one spring roll and dip it into the water, completely submerging it, for about 10-15 seconds. You want it to soften without become mushy, but you need it soft enough to fold without breaking it. Let the spring roll drip to get rid of the excess water and place it on a larger plate or cutting board to assemble. Take a pinch of veggies then lay a slice of tofu on top, it's optional to put sauce inside the rolls (I usually do!). Fold in two of the sides, just like a burrito, then roll the spring roll tightly to keep everything inside. You don't want to overfill these because they'll be hard to seal and they will break easily.

You can find a huge selection of premade sauces and marinades that will be great for these rolls, but if you don't want to spend $5 on a dipping sauce you can use household items to make your own.

Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce

• 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons hot water
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce, low sodium if you have it
• Tiny bit of ginger, I use the jarred minced kind. Just a very small amount!
• 1-2 cloves minced garlic, optional
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil, this makes ALL the difference! And it's at Walmart
• Squirt of sriracha sauce, or another peppery hot sauce (I like it spicy)

I combine the ingredients using a little whisk, but you could try it in the blender or a Magic Bullet if you'd like. If you heat the peanut butter a tiny bit then add the hot water it's much easier to combine all of the ingredients. You can thin in out with extra water or rice vinegar, or thicken it with more peanut butter. It's up to you!

Enjoy! ^_^ And Happy Good Friday to everyone. I hope you have a wonderful Easter Weekend.