Pad Thai (With a Healthy Twist)
- Judie Foodie
- Jul 14, 2016
- 3 min read
I have always loved this dish. It's impossible for me to go to any Thai restaurant and resist the urge to order it because it is so unique in flavor. Never did I ever think it would be possible to make this healthy, but we've all learned never say never. After 7 times of trial and error, here's my take on a healthier Pad Thai:
Disclaimer: if these ingredients seem intimidating to you, don’t fret. They can all be substituted. And if you really want to get your hands on all of the real ingredients, they can all be found on http://www.amazon.com.
(Makes 6 servings)
1-8 oz package of brown rice pad Thai noodles
3/4 pound of shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup of good quality fish sauce
1/4 cup of tamarind concentrate/rice vinegar
1/4 cup of coconut palm syrup/plain 'ol sugar
1 tablespoon of sriracha sauce
4 teaspoons of vegetable oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
3 Thai chili peppers, minced (optional)
2 eggs
4 stalks of scallions, chopped into two inch pieces and sliced thin
2 bunch of cilantro, roughly chopped
Cook the brown rice Pad Thai noodles according to instructions on the box. Drain and set aside when done cooking.
To make the pad thai sauce, whisk together, fish sauce, tamarind concentrate and coconut palm syrup in a bowl and set aside.
In a wok or non-stick pan over medium high heat, add vegetable oil and when the oil begins to ripple, add garlic, Thai chili and scallions and stir quickly. Add shrimp and season with salt while still stirring rigorously. After 30 seconds to 1 minute, the shrimp will begin to turn slightly opaque, make a well in the center of the wok or pan and crack two eggs into the center. Break up their yolks slightly but wait for the whites to cook before scrambling the eggs fully. After 15-30 seconds, fold the scrambled eggs in with the shrimp, garlic, chiles and scallions. Add drained and cooked brown rice Pad Thai noodles to the pan and stir to incorporate all of the ingredients together. Add the Pad Thai sauce made earlier and continuously stir. After a minute or so, the sauce will reduce and get lacquered, causing all of the noodles to soak up all the sauce. When the sauce has cooked completely into the noodles, take the wok/pan off the heat and serve in a big dish immediately. Garnish with chopped cilantro for a fresh finish. Have fun the kitchen!
Health Info Per Serving
300 calories
6 grams of fat
40 grams carbohydrates
4 grams of fiber
11 grams of sugar
17 grams of protein
Why does fiber and protein matter?
Fiber: aside from cancer prevention and a ton of other health benefits, quite simply, when you eat food that is high in fiber, it will keep you fuller, longer and it will keep things continuously flowing down south. So if you’re into health and fitness, fiber is a definite WIN-WIN for you to consume.
Protein: aside from its amazing abilities to regenerate muscles and a slew of other crazy health perks, protein is the most satiating thing that you can eat. Therefore, if eat something with lean protein, chances are: you’re going to feel fuller longer and as stated above with the whole fiber situation, if you’re adamant about pursuing a life of health and fitness, consuming lean protein can help prevent you from overeating. YAY protein.
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