Name: Shrimp Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 12 spring roll rice wrappers; 1-2 pounds cooked shrimp, shells and tails removed; 3 large carrots, peeled and sliced into matchsticks; 2 medium red bell peppers, seeded and sliced into matchsticks; 1 English cucumber, sliced into matchsticks; 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves; 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves; 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, unsweetened; 2 tablespoons soy sauce; 2 tablespoons rice vinegar; 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil; 1 garlic clove, grated or finely minced; 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated or finely minced; 2-3 tablespoons warm water

30 Minutes or Less

Homemade Ginger and Turmeric Immunity Shots Recipe

By Samantha Russo January 25, 2024

As I enter my first cold and flu season as a mom, I’m doing everything I can to boost my family’s immune system! While my son (currently 9 months old) can’t have these immunity shots quite yet, my husband and I each take a shot a day to… keep the doctor away. Sorry, I had to!

These immunity shots are jam-packed with antioxidants to help strengthen your immune system. A combination of fresh ginger, turmeric, and citrus create a powerhouse to help ward off colds. Also, the addition of black pepper helps to activate the turmeric, leading to even more anti-inflammatory benefits.

They’re tangy, spicy, incredibly potent, but work some serious magic to keep my family healthy. If you also want to avoid getting sick this cold and flu season, I highly recommend you whip up a batch too!

homemade immunity shot being poured into a glass.

What You’ll Need to Make this Immunity Shots Recipe

Fresh Ginger: Ginger is renowned for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It aids digestion, soothes sore throats, and provides a zesty kick to our immunity shots. And in case you have leftover fresh ginger after making this recipe, use it to make these healthy teriyaki chicken bowls. Eating an overall healthy diet also works wonders for building a strong immune system!

Fresh Turmeric Root: Curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, is a superhero in the anti-inflammatory world! It’s a natural immune booster, assisting the body in fighting off infections and promoting overall well-being.

Lemons: Packed with vitamin C, lemons contribute to collagen production, which is crucial for skin health. They also support the immune system and add a refreshing citrusy flavor to the shots.

Oranges: Another vitamin C powerhouse, oranges help stimulate the production of white blood cells, enhancing the immune system’s defense mechanism against illnesses. Because of its cold-fighthing benefits, I aim to eat as much vitamin C as possible this time of year. One of my favorite ways to enjoy citrus fruits is in this citrus salad recipe – seriously so good!

Black Pepper: Piperine, found in black pepper, enhances the absorption of curcumin from turmeric. This dynamic duo ensures you get the most out of the turmeric’s immune-boosting properties.

homemade immunity shots with lemon, orange, fresh ginger, and fresh turmeric on the side.

What are the Health Benefits of Immunity Shots?

The combination of fresh ginger, turmeric, lemons, and oranges provides a powerful boost to the immune system! These ingredients are rich in antioxidants and vitamins, supporting the body’s defense against infections and illnesses.
Ginger and turmeric, with their anti-inflammatory properties, help reduce inflammation in the body. Chronic inflammation is linked to various health issues, and incorporating these shots into your daily routine may contribute to overall well-being.
Lemons and oranges are excellent sources of vitamin C, essential for collagen production, skin health, and a robust immune response. Regular consumption of these immunity shots ensures a steady intake of this vital nutrient, promoting optimal health!

Tips and Tricks

Play with Ratios: Adjust the quantities of ginger, turmeric, and citrus to suit your taste preferences. If you enjoy a more zesty kick, add an extra squeeze of lemon or orange.

Storage Savvy: To ensure your shots stay fresh, store the juice in an airtight container in the fridge. Use dark glass containers to protect the ingredients from light, maintaining their potency.

Prep Ahead: Consider prepping larger batches and freezing the juice in ice cube trays. Pop out a cube whenever you need a quick immunity boost – it’s a time-saving trick for those hectic days.

Homemade immunity shots with fresh lemon, orange, ginger, and turmeric on the side.

5 from 3 votes

Homemade Ginger and Turmeric Immunity Shots

These immunity shots are packed with antioxidants to help strengthen your immune system! They’re the easiest, most natural way to help prevent getting sick during cold and flu season. Fresh ginger and turmeric, plenty of citrus, and black pepper make for a tangy, spicy, and potent immunity shot. Enjoy once a day for optimal results!

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 5

Total Time: 5

Servings: servings

Ingredients

1/4 cup fresh ginger, chopped
1/4 cup fresh turmeric root, chopped
2 lemons, peeled and chopped
2 oranges, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups water

Instructions

Add all ingredients to a blender and blend on high for 1-2 minutes.
Place a fine mesh strainer over a bowl or pitcher and pour the liquid through the strainer, and use a spoon to stir the liquid around in the strainer to separate the pulp from the juice.
Discard the pulp in the strainer, then pour the juice into an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
When ready to drink, pour 2 ounces into a glass and drink quickly (like a shot!).

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 300kcal

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30 Minutes or Less

Summer Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce

By Samantha Russo July 12, 2023

These summer rolls are loaded with fresh, crunchy vegetables and served with a savory peanut sauce! In just 20 minutes you’ll have a fun and healthy lunch or snack.

overhead image of peanut dipping sauce on a serving platter with sesame seeds on the side.

What are Summer Rolls?

Summer rolls are a traditional Vietnamese side dish. They’re an assortment of vegetables wrapped in rice paper. Think of them like a sushi roll, but instead of rice and seaweed, you just wrap everything up in a thin sheet of rice paper.

Summer rolls are most commonly served (and best served) with a side of savory peanut dipping sauce. The peanut sauce is honestly my favorite part. I could drink that stuff straight up. Creamy peanut putter, soy sauce, and fresh ginger come together in the most incredible, flavorful way possible! Dipping these summer rolls loaded with crisp, fresh veggies into luscious peanut sauce is nothing short of a dream come true. Guys, you gotta give this recipe a try. They’re vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free!

summer rolls being dipped into peanut sauce.

What You Need To Make Summer Rolls with Peanut Sauce

Rice Wrappers – You’d be surprised by how easy rice wrappers are to find! I often locate them in the ethnic/asian aisle of my grocery store. And if all else fails, I can always find them at my local asian markets. If you’re not familiar with rice wrappers, they look sort of like a thinner tortilla. When you remove them from their packaging you’ll find that they’re dry and stiff. Though they simply need a bit of water to help rehydrate them for this recipe. Try not to overthink the process, follow the steps in the recipe below to prepare your rice wrappers.

Tofu – Tofu is an incredible source of protein and contains all nine essential amino acids! It also just sort of takes on the taste of whatever else you’re eating it with. In this case, the tofu soaks up the peanut sauce, which is DELICIOUS. Not only is tofu super easy to come by these days, but it’s super cheap too.

Peanut Butter – To me, peanut butter is typically only ever associated with sweet recipes. Though we turn the tables here by adding savory ingredients such as soy sauce and rice vinegar to create this peanut butter-based sauce. I prefer creamy peanut butter for a smoother sauce, though chunky works too. Just please, whatever you do, make sure the peanut butter you use has NO added sugar! Any sugar in the peanut butter would completely throw off the balance of flavors in this delicious sauce.

summer roll sliced in half on a plate, with cucumber, carrots, and tofu inside.

Adjust This Recipe

Make it Nut-Free: For a nut-free sauce, replace the peanut butter with tahini.
Add Shrimp: Make my shrimp spring rolls recipe instead!
The types and amounts of vegetables and herbs are simply suggestions – you can swap or remove anything you like!

5 from 1 vote

Summer Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce

These summer rolls are loaded with fresh, crunchy vegetables and served with a savory peanut sauce! In just 20 minutes you’ll have a fun and healthy lunch or snack.

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 20

Total Time: 20

Servings: servings

Ingredients

12 spring roll rice wrappers
14 ounces extra firm tofu, sliced into about 12 sticks
1 cup julienned carrots
2 cups julienned cucumber
1 cup napa cabbage, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup green onion, sliced

For the peanut sauce:

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, optional
1 garlic clove, grated
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
2-3 tablespoons warm water

Instructions

Fill a shallow bowl with warm water, submerge one sheet of rice wrapper in water for about 5 seconds then transfer to a clean, damp dish towel.
Place filling in the center of wrapper and fold the end closest to you over the filling, then tuck sides in and towards the center, finish rolling to create a sealed summer roll. Repeat with remaining rice wrappers.
Make the sauce by adding all ingredients to a bowl and whisking until completely smooth.
Serve summer rolls with peanut dipping sauce and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Change up the filling ingredients however you’d like, use up whatever leftover fresh veggies you have on-hand!

Nutrition

Calories: 300kcal

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30 Minutes or Less

Shrimp Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce

By Samantha Russo April 11, 2023

Fun and delicious shrimp spring rolls with an irresistibly good peanut dipping sauce! These spring rolls are an easy and exciting way to pack veggies into your diet – they’re super healthy and tasty.

overhead image of shrimp spring rolls on a plate with peanut sauce on the side.

What You’ll Need to Make Shrimp Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce

Spring Rolls Rice Wrappers – These light little rice-based wraps are what hold these spring rolls together! I’ve had lots of luck finding these at my local grocery store, in the ethnic food aisle. However, if you can’t seem to track these thin rice sheets down, I recommend ordering these on Amazon. Leftover rice wrappers? Try making my summer rolls recipe next!

Cooked Shrimp – Buy pre-cooked shrimp, or quickly boil it yourself before adding to your shrimp spring rolls. The only thing to note here is that you must remove the tails from your shrimp for this recipe! Removing the tails can happen either before or after cooking – it makes no difference.

Fresh Mint and Cilantro – These Asian-inspired rolls taste extra fresh thanks to a few sprigs of fresh mint and cilantro! I highly recommend adding fresh herbs to your rolls. Though if you don’t like cilantro, or don’t like mint, simply swap it out for a different fresh herb.

Peanut Butter – Unsweetened creamy peanut butter is the base to our peanut sauce. However, if you don’t like peanut butter, you can use cashew butter instead. Or, for a nut-free version, try tahini!

Soy Sauce – Found in most Asian recipes, soy sauce adds the perfect savory component to this dish. However, you can certainly swap out the soy sauce for tamari or coconut aminos if that’s more your thing.

shrimp spring rolls on a plate with peanut sauce and fresh limes on the side.

Tips on Handling Rice Wrappers

Submerge one rice wrapper at a time in the water! If you attempt more than one, they’ll stick together and you won’t be able to separate them.
Don’t leave the rice wrapper in the water for too long. Just 5 seconds submerged in a shallow bowl of warm water will do the trick. Leaving the wrapper to soak for too long will make it too soft and difficult to handle.
Place each rice wrapper (one at a time) on a damp paper towel or dish cloth before filling and rolling. The wrapper will lift easily off the damp cloth, making rolling a breeze. If you place the rice wrapper on a kitchen counter or cutting board, it’ll stick and be a nightmare to remove!

shrimp spring rolls being dipped into peanut sauce.

Adjust This Recipe to Your Dietary Needs

Make it Vegan: For vegan spring rolls, use extra firm tofu cut into strips in place of the cooked shrimp!

Make it Gluten-Free: The only non gluten-free ingredient in this recipe is the soy sauce. Therefore, use tamari instead, which tastes just like soy sauce but is 100% gluten-free!

Shrimp Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce

0 from 0 votes

Recipe by Samantha Course: MainDifficulty: Medium

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

0

minutes

Total time

20

minutes

Fun and delicious shrimp spring rolls with an irresistibly good peanut dipping sauce! These spring rolls are an easy and exciting way to pack veggies into your diet – they’re super healthy and tasty.

Ingredients

12 spring roll rice wrappers
1-2 pounds cooked shrimp, shells and tails removed
3 large carrots, peeled and sliced into matchsticks
2 medium red bell peppers, seeded and sliced into matchsticks
1 English cucumber, sliced into matchsticks
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
For the peanut sauce:
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, unsweetened
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 garlic clove, grated or finely minced
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated or finely minced
2-3 tablespoons warm water

Directions

Fill a shallow bowl with warm water. Submerge one sheet of rice wrapper in water for 5 seconds, then transfer to a clean, damp dish towel.
Place 2-3 shrimp, a small handful of vegetables, and a few fresh mint and cilantro leaves in the center of the wrapper. Then, fold the end closest to you over the filling, tuck sides in and towards the center, and finish rolling to create a sealed spring roll. Repeat this process with remaining rice wrappers.
Make the sauce by adding all ingredients to a bowl and whisking to combine.
Serve shrimp spring rolls with peanut dipping sauce on the side.

Recipe Video

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30 Minutes or Less

Healthy Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowls

By Samantha Russo January 23, 2023

These healthy teriyaki chicken rice bowls come together in under 20 minutes! Fresh ginger, garlic, tamari to make it gluten-free, and honey to naturally sweeten things up. Ditch the takeout this week, and make this healthier recipe instead!

close-up image of healthy teriyaki chicken

What You’ll Need to Make Healthy Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowls

Chicken Breast: Boneless and skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces cooks in just a matter of minutes! However, feel free to use any piece/cut of chicken you’d like. Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, replace the chicken with salmon or tofu – the possibilities are endless!

Ginger: Fresh, grated ginger adds tons of delicious fresh flavor to our healthy teriyaki chicken. I usually purchase a bunch of fresh ginger (it’s pretty cheap!) and store it in my freezer until I need to use it. But if you can’t find fresh ginger, feel free to use just 1 teaspoon of dried ground ginger in its place.

Tamari: What is tamari? Tamari is simply gluten-free soy sauce. It tastes exactly the same as soy sauce, but is 100% gluten-free. It’s safe for people who suffer from celiac disease or a gluten intolerance! However, if you’re fine with gluten, go ahead and use soy sauce in this recipe instead.

Honey: A refined sugar-free sweetener to help balance this teriyaki sauce! You won’t notice the difference between this honey-sweetened sauce and the sauce you’d order at a restaurant.

healthy teriyaki chicken rice bowls with sliced green onion on top.

Tips and Tricks

I served my healthy teriyaki chicken over white rice with a side of steamed broccoli, but feel free to serve yours with whatever you’d like! Brown rice, quinoa, or even cauliflower rice make a great base to these bowls. Also, any steamed veggie will pair perfectly with this meal!

The chicken cooks pretty quickly in this recipe, thanks to it being cut into such small pieces. Therefore, keep an eye on it and be careful not to overcook the chicken. It should only take a few minutes to cook through!

Adjust This Recipe to Your Dietary Needs

Make it Gluten-Free: Use tamari instead of soy sauce, which is 100% gluten-free.

Make it Vegan/Vegetarian: Replace the chicken with pressed and cubed tofu, and the honey with maple syrup!

Make it Paleo: To make a paleo teriyaki chicken, simply replace the honey with maple syrup and use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce – it’s that easy! Also, serve over cauliflower rice or with extra steamed veggies, instead of white rice.

Healthy Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowls

4 from 8 votes

Recipe by Samantha Course: DinnerDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

Total time

20

minutes

These healthy teriyaki chicken rice bowls come together in under 20 minutes! Fresh ginger, garlic, tamari to make it gluten-free, and honey to naturally sweeten things up. Ditch the takeout this week, and make this healthier recipe instead!

Ingredients

1 pound chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoons avocado oil
pinch of salt
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup tamari, or soy sauce
1 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon sesame oil, optional
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon corn starch
3 tablespoons water
For serving:
2 cups cooked rice
1 crown broccoli, steamed
sliced green onions
sesame seeds

Directions

Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat, add in the chicken and sprinkle with salt. Cook chicken for 2-3 minutes per side or until cooked through. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Reduce heat to low, add in the ginger and garlic, cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add in the tamari or soy sauce, lemon juice, sesame oil, and honey, mix together.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water until the cornstarch has dissolved. Transfer corn starch and water to the sauce along with the cooked chicken.
Stir until sauce thickens, about 3-4 minutes. Divide between four bowls with rice and broccoli, then top with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.

Recipe Video

Notes

Storage: Store the rice and vegetables in a separate container than the teriyaki chicken. Place them both in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days.

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30 Minutes or Less

Healthy Gingerbread Muffins (made in the blender!)

By Samantha Russo December 8, 2022

Fluffy and perfectly spicy healthy gingerbread muffins! The perfect festive snack, that comes together in the blender. Oats, molasses, and ground ginger make these gingerbread muffins healthy AND delicious!

glunte-free gingerbread muffins piled on top of a marble board.

What You’ll Need to Make Gluten-Free Gingerbread Muffins

Old Fashioned Rolled Oats – It’s super important you use old fashioned/rolled oats in this recipe. Avoid instant, steel-cut, or Irish oats. The first step involves grinding these oats into a flour in your blender. When doing this, try to grind them as fine as possible. Finely ground oats will result in fluffier muffins!

Apple Sauce – I used apple sauce in these gingerbread muffins, because it yields little to no flavor. However, if you don’t have apple sauce, feel free to substitute it with 1/2 cup mashed banana. Mashed banana will give these muffins a slight banana flavor, which if you like banana, I’m sure you won’t mind.

Molasses – Any and all gingerbread recipes contain molasses, which is how they get their signature dark-brown color. Don’t skip the molasses, it’s super important for both the flavor and structure of these muffins.

Ground Ginger – Wouldn’t be gingerbread muffins without some ginger! This recipe packs in tons of that spicy ginger flavor, which I personally LOVE. However, if you want a more subtle ginger flavor, go ahead and use just 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger instead.

three gluten-free gingerbread muffins stacked on top of each other.

Tips and Tricks

Use a large cookie scoop or 1/4-cup measuring cup to fill your muffin tin. This’ll ensure even-sized muffins, with that beautiful dome on top!
For extra sweetness, top your muffins with a simple 2-ingredient powdered sugar glaze. To make it, whisk together 1/2 cup powdered sugar with 2-3 tablespoons milk. Once smooth, use a spoon to drizzle glaze over cooled gluten-free gingerbread muffins.
Store these muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Or, to make them last longer, pop them in the freezer for up to 3 months!

Adjust This Recipe to Your Dietary Needs

Make it Vegan: While I haven’t tested it myself, you can try replacing the eggs with either two flax eggs or by using your favorite vegan egg replacer. I’ve used this Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer in a number of other recipes and have always loved it!

Gluten-Free Gingerbread Muffins

4 from 22 votes

Recipe by Samantha Course: Snacks, DessertDifficulty: Easy

Servings

10

muffins

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Total time

25

minutes

Fluffy and perfectly spicy gluten-free gingerbread muffins! The perfect festive snack, that comes together in the blender. Oats, molasses, and ground ginger make these gluten-free gingerbread muffins healthy AND delicious!

Ingredients

2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup apple sauce, unsweetened
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup molasses
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit and line a muffin tin with muffin liners.
Add oats to a blender and blend until it’s ground into a flour.
Add in remaining ingredients, then blend until a smooth batter forms.
Transfer ½ cup batter into each muffin mold, then bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted down the center of one muffin comes out clean. Remove from oven and transfer muffins to a wire cooling rack, let cool before eating.