Happy Spring (Rolls)!

Who else is craving some good news?

Here’s some: It’s SPRING! We’ve made it through the coldest, darkest, snowiest months of the year, and the scales are tipping daily towards warmer, brighter days. As a sucker for heat and sunshine, with a job that’s mostly performed outside, to say I’m thrilled is an understatement.

To celebrate, I’m sharing a very appropriate recipe for fresh spring rolls (sometimes called summer rolls), Vietnamese in origin but tweaked here to suit my tastes and pantry/fridge staples. Thin rice paper wrappers are softened in warm water, piled up with baked chicken, crunchy vegetables, creamy avocado, and tender herbs, and then rolled into tight little packages and dipped into a peanut sauce that will enhance most any meal.

I love how customizable these are. If you want to replace the chicken with cooked shrimp or tofu, or leave it out entirely, go for it! Don’t have some of the fresh ingredients I used? Sub in cabbage, butter lettuce, cucumber, pineapple, strawberries, or cilantro. Want to make it a little heartier? Add quick-cooking vermicelli noodles. Spicier? Try minced jalapeño. The world is your oyster with these fresh little parcels, so use whatever you’ve got, or better yet–invite a few friends over (once we’re in the clear to gather again!) and let them build their own.

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