Give me any kind of fresh rolls (aka summer rolls, Vietnamese spring rolls) with a side of delicious peanut dipping sauce and I’m a happy girl…except when I’m the one wrapping and rolling for the six of us.

This recipe is inspired by my kids and their love for MANGO fresh rolls made by soaking rice paper wrappers in water and then filling each delicate rice paper wrap with slices of sweet juicy mango, crunchy cucumber, vermicelli noodles, fresh mint + cilantro, creamy avocado and crisp lettuce and of course my SIMPLE THAI PEANUT SAUCE for dipping!

ONLY instead of spending time fussing around with precious rice paper, for this recipe I use the lettuce itself as the vessel to hold in all of the same tasty ingredients! 

For these MANGO LETTUCE WRAPS simply prep the ingredients for your wraps and of course make the peanut dipping sauce, which can be done ahead of time and stored in the fridge.

Start by prepping your noodles following the directions on the package. My kids love rice vermicelli noodles but feel free to use any noodles of your choice. Kelp noodles and buckwheat noodles work nicely with this recipe. Next wash and prep your veggies and herbs including the lettuce. We had a ton of fresh romaine lettuce from our garden this summer although we also love using bibb lettuce and good ol’ iceberg lettuce. Peel and slice your mangos and be sure to thinly slice your veggies. Cucumbers work well in these wraps as well as carrots and peppers which all add a nice crunch and pair nicely with mangos. Fresh herbs like mint and cilantro are a must in my opinion and don’t forget the avocados. Once everything is prepped, all that’s left to do is assemble the wraps and enjoy!

Just close your eyes, DIP and BITE and you’ll swear you’re eating the very same fresh rolls only these MANGO LETTUCE WRAPS take a fraction of the time to prepare and BONUS everyone can assemble their own! Which allows me more time to focus on my dipping skills (and trust me with delicious peanut sauce you’re going to have a lot of practice!)

Forget that bottled stuff, the taste of this homemade sauce just doesn’t compare. Store bought peanut sauce generally contains SUGAR, DEXTROSE, YEAST EXTRACT (aka M.S.G.), CORN SYRUP, HYDROGENATED OILS and countless other unmentionables.

This delightful THAI PEANUT SAUCE on the other hand, is made with ingredients you can pronounce (many of which you likely already have in your refrigerator and pantry) and you control the level of salt and sweetness.

• Peanut Butter. Natural and unsalted please! The ingredients in my favorite brand = 100% peanuts. Almond butter works really well and of course you can substitute nut butter for seed butter instead.

• Tamari Sauce. Gluten Free and full of flavor. If you haven’t tried Tamari sauce really love the depth of flavor compared to Soy Sauce but either works well in this recipe. Coconut aminos are also a great choice.

• Pure Maple Syrup. None of that watered down corn syrup people use to drown their pancakes. If you’re guilty of this, please throw out that bottle and make the switch! You will never look back. Raw honey or coconut nectar are also great natural sweeteners you can use in place of pure maple syrup.

• Fresh ginger, garlic and lime juice are non-negotiable in this recipe. In my opinion there is just no substitute for that special zing and tang you get from grated ginger and freshly squeezed lime juice. And fresh garlic, well let’s not go there! Garlic powder has its place in many recipes but freshly grated garlic really makes a difference in this sauce.

SIMPLE THAI PEANUT SAUCE

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup natural unsalted peanut butter
• 3-4 tbsps fresh lime juice (approx 2 limes)
• 2 tbsps Tamari sauce 
• 2 tbsps pure maple syrup 
• 2 tbsps grated fresh ginger 
• 1-2 garlic cloves grated
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp pure sesame oil
• 1/3 -1/2 cup water

Directions:

Step 1: Combine all ingredients in a large measuring cup except water.  Whisk to fully combine.

Step 2: Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached. The mixture will be slightly thick at first but careful not to add in too much water at a time. I normally use about 1/3 cup for a sauce and up 1/2 cup if using for a dressing. 

Alternatively you can add all of the ingredients including 1/3 cup of water to a blender and then adjust for more water if needed.

Guided Wellness Tip: This sauce is simple and easy enough to prepare on the spot as a fabulous dipping sauce for just about anything (especially chicken satays and fresh vegetables) but even better included as part your WEEKLY MEAL PREP as a double or triple batch to be enjoyed as a tasty salad dressing, delicious stir fry sauce or flavorful marinade for your protein of choice throughout the week.