Hey loves!
<3
Who knew you could create something that resembles pad thai in just 10 minutes?!
Last night’s dinner was this RAW VEGAN CRUNCHY “PAD THAI” WITH A COCONUT AMINOS GINGER GARLIC SAUCE. If you know me, you know I’m not really a fan of Chinese food & I never really have been. But oh my goodness, THAI & JAPANESE FOOD… that’s a whole other story… like a freaking storybook. I mean, if you know, you know. I HAVE AN OBSESSION with sushi, all things cilantro, pad thai, sashimi, coconut & tataki.
This dish is my take on a quick & easy “something that resembles pad thai” in just under ten minutes that’s slightly healthier than take-out but still SO delicious! It’s the perfect mix of sweet, salty, tangy & a little bit spicy!
Usually, Pad Thai is a stir-fried rice noodle dish with a sticky sauce… THIS ONE? Not so much! This one’s a blend of fresh, crunchy & raw veggies, two of which resembles noodles! I swapped the generic rice noodles for a mix of sweet potato & zucchini noodles & threw in some crumbled raw organic cashews for healthy fats & protein. They’re also high in iron, phosphorus, selenium, magnesium & zinc & a good source of antioxidants & phytochemicals.
The sauce is made with coconut aminos, lemon, organic unsweetened rice vinegar, onion powder, chilli flakes, dried up chives, fresh garlic, ginger, sea salt & black pepper. Simple, but so full of flavour! It legit MAKES the dish!
I love this dish because it’s so light, fresh, crispy, crunchy & nutritious! It packs all the goods – vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, healthy fats, good carbs & a heck of a lot of health benefits! I mean, DO YOU SEE THE RAINBOW ON THIS PLATE (or should I say bowl?)?! It works well for both lunch & dinner!
BTW, if you’re not vegan/if you want to add a bit more protein to this meal, you can totally top it with ground beef, chicken or turkey, shrimp, salmon or sesame-crusted ahi tuna, shredded beef or chicken or a nice piece of grilled chicken breast!
Now, without further ado, here’s how to make this!
My loves, YOU WILL NEED:
FOR THE PAD THAI:
- 1/2 cup of sweet potato noodles (spiralized)
- 1/2 cup of zucchini noodles (spiralized)
- 1/2 a red bell pepper
- A heaping handful of chopped purple cabbage (or green cabbage)
- 2 green onions
- 1/3 cup of fresh cilantro (chopped)
- A handful of raw organic unsalted cashews or jungle peanuts (crumbled)
- 1/2 a lemon
FOR THE SAUCE:
- 1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
- the juice of one lemon
- 2 tbsp. coconut aminos
- 1 tbsp. organic unsweetened & no salt added rice vinegar (make sure you get the unseasoned one)
- 1/4 tsp. red pepper chilli flakes
- 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. dried chives
- Sea salt & black pepper for seasoning
- OPTIONAL TO SWEETEN: 1/2 tbsp. raw organic honey or yacon syrup
Now, for that HOW-TO?
- OPTIONALLY: Heat a medium skillet over medium heat & add your sweet potato & zucchini noodles with a bit of water. Sauté for 2-3 minutes so that the noodles are still crunchy, but slightly cooked. I chose to leave my noodles raw, but it’s a personal choice!
- If you sautéed your noodles, let them cool off for a few minutes.
- Add all your pad thai ingredients to a medium bowl.
- Prepare the coconut ginger garlic sauce: Add all the dressing ingredients to the bowl & whisk until fully combined & incorporated.
- Pour the sauce over the pad thai & toss to coat all the veggies in it!
- ENJOY!
