A Healthy Start to the New Year
One of my New Year’s resolutions, every year, is to eat healthier; less of the bad stuff like empty carbs and junk food, and more of the good stuff including veggies and protein. This year is no exception, and we started off the year making one of my favourites, Pad Thai.
This simple stir-fried noodle dish is a staple in Thailand, flavoured with tamarind, fish sauce, garlic and lime. A quick search of the internet will reveal all manor of Pad Thai recipes, and local restaurants serving the popular dish.
Veggies, Protein, and Easy Sauce
In my variation, I stick to easy-to find ingredients for the sauce, add in my favourite vegetables, and load it with four different proteins…chicken, shrimp, tofu and eggs.
Ingredients for Pad Thai
Pad Thai Sauce Ingredients
I’d like to say this recipe is quick and easy, and the cooking time certainly is, but chopping the ingredients seems to take forever! Perhaps a mandolin would be a good addition to my kitchen tools this year!
Veggies galore!
Once your ingredients are all prepared, it’s time to start cooking! Boil the water for the noodles, and while they are cooking, saute your tofu, shrimp and chicken.
Remove from pan, then saute the veggies separately. Move the veggies to the side and break eggs into pan, scrambling and stirring until cooked through. Return proteins to pan, add drained noodles, sauce and stir together!
Pad Thai perfection!
I like to serve with chopped peanuts on top, and a lime wedge on the side. For those that like a little heat, chili flakes and sriracha sauce allow you to spice it up to your liking!
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- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 Tbsp lime juice
- 1 Tbsp fish sauce
- ½ lb frozen, pre-cooked shrimp (approx 12-15 shrimp)
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips
- ½ package of firm tofu, sliced ¼ in thick squares
- Half package of vermicelli size rice noodles (approx 250 grams)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1½ cups carrots, cut into matchsticks
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 cup sugar snap peas
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 4 green onions, white parts minced, green parts sliced into 1 inch pieces
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup unsalted peanuts, chopped
- Lime wedges
- Chili flakes, sriracha sauce (optional)
- In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice and fish sauce. Set aside.
- Place frozen shrimp in a bowl and fill with cold water to thaw.
- Cook rice noodles per package instructions (usually 2 minutes in boiling water).
- While noodles are cooking, heat oil in a wok or large, deep, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add tofu and saute until brown on both sides. Drain water from shrimp, remove tails, and add to pan, saute for 1 minute. Remove tofu and shrimp from pan.
- Add chicken and saute until cooked through, about 5 minutes, remove from pan.
- Add bell pepper and carrots, saute 2 minutes, then add garlic, green onions and peas and saute 1 minute longer.
- Push veggies to edge of pan, crack eggs into center. Scramble and cook until eggs are cooked through.
- Add chicken, shrimp and tofu, drained noodles and sauce to pan, toss together and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Serve with peanuts, lime wedges and optional chili flakes and sriracha for those who like a little heat!
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