What a PANSY! Yummy and Pretty Spring Rolls

If you like the fresh taste of spring rolls with herbs, you will probably also enjoy adding some edible flowers. I especially enjoy the pretty range of colors that pansies come in but you could also experiment with other edible flowers such as nasturtiums, or snap dragons. If you are not growing your own, be sure to buy ones that are organic and haven't been sprayed with pesticides.

While I mostly add the flowers for aesthetics, they also add their own personality and flavor to the dish. In addition to flowers, I like to fill mine with fresh cilantro and basil. Make sure when you are assembling the rolls you put the flowers face-down on the rice paper so that you can see their pretty faces!

Besides the flowers and herbs in the filling, I also add veggies and fresh rice noodles. Sometimes I add some tofu for extra protein. Add whichever fruits and vegetables you enjoy; I tend to start with carrots, green onions or scallions, and bell peppers.

I've experimented with different peanut sauces for dipping the spring rolls in and find that simply using store bought peanut butter as the base and then adding garlic, chili oil or even Sriracha works well. Some people add ginger and lime, and others use sweeteners such as maple syrup or sugar or hoisin sauce. Just be creative and have fun!