Ava's Spring Rolls

 

INGREDIENTS
1 pack super thin Spring Roll wrappers from Asian store.
1 egg
oil for deep frying
sauce-Mae Ploy spring roll sauce or panda express sweet and sour sauce
Filling:
1 lb. ground meat (sausage, turkey, beef)
1 c. julienned/minced carrots
handful of mung bean sprouts
1 c. green beans, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/4 c. diced onions
1 T. minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
*can add other veggies such as cabbage, mushrooms, water chestnuts, etc.

DIRECTIONS

Filling:

Heat large skillet on medium heat. Add about 2-3 T. of oil. Add meat and cook for about 5 minutes. (skip oil if meat is not lean).  Add garlic and onions and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add carrots and green beans. Mix and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add any other desired veggies along with the carrots and green beans. Add sprouts, salt and pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes. Turn off heat and set aside.

Wrapping:

Beat 1 egg in a bowl for sealing wrappers. Lay 1 wrapper flat with a corner facing you. Scoop about 1 T. of filling (do not include any juice) onto the wrapper. Roll bottom corner over the filling. Keep rolling until the mid-part of the wrapper. Fold both sides of wrapper towards middle. The roll should look like an envelope. Continue rolling until only a small corner is left. Brush some egg wash on the top corner and seal the roll.

Deep frying:

Heat oil in a pot

When ready, deep fry spring rolls until light brown. Serve with sauce.

Fiesta Wraps

My mom shared this recipe with me which I made for a church function dinner. I used parchment paper and raffia to hold the wraps together. They turned out great and my plate came home empty so I think that was a good sign!

INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 lbs cooked turkey breast, cubed or shredded
2 15 oz. cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 c. frozen corn
1 red bell pepper, chopped
6 green onions, sliced
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Dressing:
1/3 c. lime juice (approx. 2 limes)
1 tsp. salt
1/3 c. olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed

DIRECTIONS
Combine turkey breast, black beans, corn, bell pepper, onions, jalapeno pepper, and cilantro. Set aside. In a small bowl combine lime juice, salt, oil, and garlic. Pour dressing over black bean mixture. Stir until dressing is thoroughly mixed through.

To make wraps, use jalapeno wraps (or other flavor) and shredded cheddar cheese. Serve immediately.

Ground Turkey Tacos

The Biggest Loser has inspired me through their crafty advertising tactics to try substituting lean ground turkey into our meals at home. Honestly just the coloring of ground turkey was enough to keep me away for so long but spice it up with some taco seasoning and it really tastes quite good. We've eaten these tacos several times and from now on this is how I will serve them.

INGREDIENTS
1 lb. lean ground turkey
1 packet taco seasoning
1/4 c. water

ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS AND TOPPINGS
whole wheat flour tortillas
fat free sour cream
avocado
shredded cheese
fresh Salsa
lettuce

DIRECTIONS
Brown ground turkey in a fry pan until cooked through. Add 1/4 c. water and taco seasoning. Warm tortillas in the microwave (15-30 seconds depending on how many). Fill tortillas with ground turkey and your favorite taco toppings.