Taste Life Blog

This month I want to highlight Laura Hoover, MPH, RDN, LD author of Mom’s Sugar Solution:150 Low-Sugar Recipes for Your Kids’ Favorite Foods, Sweet Treats and More!

This is one of Laura’s favorite recipes from her new cookbook.  Laura loves this recipe because it creates “family fun!” She loves that everyone in the family can customize their own rolls. Beyond the ingredients listed in the recipe, you can choose from grilled chicken, shrimp or tofu slices, cellophane noodles, cream cheese, radish slices and more! Laura this recipe is a family memory maker and can make eating veggies FUN too.  Thank You!

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Vegetable Spring Rolls with Spicy Peanut Dip

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Servings

2 spring role per serving MetricUS Imperial

Ingredients

Vegetable Spring Roll Ingredients

• 10 large rice paper wrappers
• 1 medium red bell pepper seeded and sliced into very thin strips about 3” long
• 1 medium cucumber peeled and cut into very thin strips, about 3” long
• 1 large carrot peeled and cut into very thin strips about 3” long
• 1 medium Avocado peeled, seeded and cut into 1/4” slices
• 1 cup fresh mint leaves stemmed, leaves whole

Spicy Peanut Dip Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 large shallot peeled and very finely minced
• 1 medium garlic clove peeled and very finely minced
• 2 teaspoons ginger root peeled and very finely minced
• 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Servings 2 spring role per serving MetricUS Imperial Ingredients Vegetable Spring Roll Ingredients 10 large rice paper wrappers 1 medium red bell pepper seeded and sliced into very thin strips about 3” long 1 medium cucumber peeled and cut into very thin strips, about 3” long 1 large carrot peeled and cut into very thin strips about 3” long 1 medium Avocado peeled, seeded and cut into 1/4” slices 1 cup fresh mint leaves stemmed, leaves whole Spicy Peanut Dip Ingredients 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 large shallot peeled and very finely minced 1 medium garlic clove peeled and very finely minced 2 teaspoons ginger root peeled and very finely minced 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper 1 cup water 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce 1 teaspoon brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt

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Instructions

Vegetable Spring Roll Instructions

1. Fill a shallow dish with very warm water. Submerge one of the spring roll wrappers in the warm water for 20 seconds until slightly softened.
2. Lay softened wrapper on your work service. Place 3 red pepper strips, 3 cucumber strips, 3 carrot strips, 2 avocado slices and a little less than 1/8 cup of mint in the lower-middle portion of the wrapper, using roughly 1/10 of your ingredients per wrapper. Quickly fold sides of wrapper over the filling, then roll it up.
3. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Serve right away or wrap individually in plastic wrap and enjoy later.

Spicy Peanut Dip Instructions

1. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat.
2. Add shallot, garlic and ginger; sauté for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add crushed red pepper, followed by water, peanut butter, lime juice, soy sauce and brown sugar. Use a fork to gently whisk ingredients together. Simmer for 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. Season with salt.
3. Transfer to bowl to cool for 1-2 hours to allow flavors to continue to meld. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Who is Laura?

Laura is a registered dietitian nutritionist, spokesperson for the Illinois Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics, contributor to the parenting site Red Tricycle, and a guest expert on Chicago broadcast media. She lives in Chicago with her husband and two kids.

As a former PR agency executive, she is especially skilled at developing nutrition communications strategies, plans, materials and messages that help motivate and inspire people to take healthy action.

She is the author of “Mom’s Sugar Solution” (Adams Media, 2018) and founder of Smart Eating for Kids, both of which feature simple recipes and strategies to empower and enable busy, health-conscious families.

What did you have to let go of or accomplish to get you to where you are today?

I’ve always wanted to write a book, so when I was approached by Adams Media (an imprint of Simon & Schuster) to do just that….I was thrilled! But it definitely didn’t happen overnight. I’ve worked in nutrition communications for over fifteen years, where I’ve cultivated many relevant skills, including writing and project management. These skills gave me the confidence and know-how to write a high-quality book that I’m extremely proud of. It’s also worth noting that I pour A LOT of time into my blog, Smart Eating for Kids. I sometimes question if the world needs another blog, but having an active online presence is exactly how the publisher found me and what gave me the credibility I needed to author a book like Mom’s Sugar Solution. 

What is your typical day like?

As the mom of two kids, I often feel like my day is more about THEM then it is about me. But now that they’re both in school full-time, I’m finally finding more balance. 

6:30 – wake up, stretch
7:00 – throw on some work-out clothes, feed the kids and the dog, pack their lunches
8:00 – take the kids to school, hang out by the play lot for a bit and chat with other parents
9:00 – exercise
10:30 – spend a few hours at the computer developing content for my blog and my latest passion project (an online course)
2:00 – recipe development (aka, dinner prep)
3:00 – pick up the kids and shuttle them to and from activities
5:30 – family dinner
7:00 – bedtime routine 

What is your theme for the year and why? 

Simplicity and action!  Life is jam-packed with a lot of opportunities and a lot of clutter. It’s so easy for me to get distracted. So, on the simplicity front, I’m constantly challenging myself to keep things as simple as possible so I can focus on what really matters. And, like many dietitians, I’ve got a strong streak of perfectionism in me. This sometimes paralyzes me from getting things done, which doesn’t allow me to work toward my mission of helping others to live their best lives. So…simplicity and action!

What is your family’s favorite food you cook together?

Right now I’m teaching my nine year old how to make omelets! It’s really fun because we are always brainstorming different veggies to add to our omelets and this is the first time he’s really been able to work at the stove. We’ve yet to master the omelet flip, but we’re getting close!

Laura and I would love to hear what your favorite low sugar recipes are, especially the ones that equate FUN memories in your kitchen!