Crunchy Summer Rolls with Sweet and Savory Dipping Sauce

I’ve had a terrible case of snack attacks this week.

Chips, fruits, bagels, yogurt, granola…uh, chocolate covered pretzels. Sure, that’s not all terrible but when you’re eating almost every hour on the hour, it’s time to admit to yourself that things have gotten out hand.

Not wanting to slide back into old, unhealthy habits, I knew I needed a veggie detox stat. It’s what I always do when I feel out of sorts. I had a plan but there was one more hurdle.

This week included a killer schedule that had me running all over the place. Getting to play around with new veggie recipes just wasn’t possible for me.

So, on the menu for this Meatless Monday was a super fast, super easy, super healthy mean-green dish that could get me back on track.

These crunchy summer rolls? Perfection.

A bit of prep to chop, grate, and grill your fillings is worth the effort. Trust me.

Forget the rice paper. Go for big, dark, leafy greens. Not only are they packed with healthy nutrients, they’re built to easily roll up whatever you want. How cool is that?

Having attempted and failed to roll burritos and wraps in the past, I have to say this was simply done. There’s no way to screw this up.

Sweet and savory with a dash of heat? Sign me up.

And bonus points for being so pretty to look at.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 red beet root, peeled and grated
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and grated
• 1 bunch of asparagus, trimmed and cut in half if thick stalks
• 1 small cucumber, sliced in thin sticks
• 1 bunch of fresh cilantro
• 6 large mustard green leaves, washed and dried
• ½ Haas avocado, sliced
• Olive oil spray
• Dash of salt and pepper

Dipping sauce

• 1 tbsp of sugar
• 2 tbsps of warm water
• ¼ cup rice vinegar (or fish sauce)
• 1 tsp reduced sodium soy sauce
• ¾ crushed red pepper (or sriracha sauce)
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 2 tsps grated carrot

1. Heat a grill pan and spray with oil. Once hot, place half the asparagus bunch in pan. Spray oil and sprinkle salt and pepper over the top. Grill for 3-5 minutes on each side and set aside with the rest of the fillings.

2. In a small bowl, dissolve warm sugar in water. Then mix in the rest of the ingredients. Allow the sauce to chill in the fridge.

3. Working with one leaf at a time, trim the stems. Place a small amount of each of the fillings in the center. Fold the bottom up towards the center, then tuck in the sides and keep rolling until the fit is snug with the seam on the bottom. Repeat with the rest of the leaves.

4. Place rolls on a serving plate with the dipping sauce and slice in half. Done!

Wasn’t that easy? You can customize this with whatever ingredients you want. I’m not a fan of tofu, but that would go perfectly here, as well as mushrooms, micro greens, or even quinoa.

The next time I feel that snack attack coming on, I can roll up one of these veggie bad boys. Problem solved.

What’s your favorite healthy snack?

Do you have a Meatless Monday recipe to share?

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