Amazing Grain Free Pad Thai!!!!

One of my favourite date nights is Thai food and Gewürtztraminer wine.  Now that I have gone grain and alcohol free I decided to get creative!  I've learned that being healthy does not mean sacrificing or eliminating the things I love just being creative!  So, Halloween night I decided to dress up and make Thai food with soda water mocktails.  We started off by making mocktails out of frozen lemon and lime slices and a few frozen raspberries for colour.  The result was the most amazing Pad Thai that you would never tell was made with all vegetables!!

The Chef:

 

Benny's Grain Free Pad Thai (4 servings)


Ingredients:
- 2 carrots
- 2 zucchinis
- 1 Chinese eggplant (optional)
- 1 red pepper
- 1 package of bean sprouts
- 1 bunch of green onions (1/2 bunch for garnish)
- 8oz of chicken or tofu (or a combo of both!)
- 4-5 lime leaves (Fairways or China town)

Garnish:
- 2 limes (cut in 1/2)
- 1/2 cup cashews or peanuts crushed
- 1 cup cilantro chopped
- green onions
- handful of bean sprouts

Sauce:
- 1 Tbsp raw tahini butter or pb
- 1 tsp almond butter
- Tamari - big splash (approx 2 TBSP)
- 1 tsp oil (canola or vegetable)
- splash of fish sauce
- 1/2 tomato (or tsp tomato paste)
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 1 tsp tamarind paste (optional)
- dash of chili hot sauce (or a pinch of hot pepper flakes)
*feel free to add to taste, that is what I do!

  

The Captain was in charge of noodle making!  If using the veggie spiral tool make sure you cut the noodles every once in a while to make serving and cooking manageable (or else they will be metre long noodles!). Make the carrot and zucchini noodles using a spiral tool.  You can also use a mandolin or vegetable peeler.

            

To make the Pad Thai Sauce - put all ingredients in a tall container and blend until smooth (magic bullet, blender or food processor will work as well!)  Taste and add heat or more of anything you desire!  Set aside. 

Chop Cashews, green onions, cilantro and lime wedges and set aside in small bowls for garnish.  Take a handful of bean sprouts and set aside for garnish and crunch as well! 

 Meanwhile, chopped 8oz cooked chicken (left over from Roast chicken), peppers and 1/2 bunch of green onions in thin strips.

Saute Chicken, onion and peppers with 1 TBSP chicken stock and 4-5 lime leaves, and grated ginger.  Do not over cook!  Set aside in a bowl (to be added to noodles later.)

Heat 1 tsp sesame oil on medium/high heat and add carrot and zucchini noodles.  Saute for 5 mins and add some of pad Thai sauce.  Add chicken/vegetables set aside and sprouts and the rest of pad Thai sauce (as desired).  Heat through until vegetables are soft but still crisp (do not over cook!)

Place in a Bowl and top with garnish!  Set extra garnish and limes, chili flakes on the table to add!

We ate at my Great Aunt Elinor's table with small stools tucked under neath in the living room which were perfect for jumping up to give candy to the Trick or Treaters at the door!

= Perfect Date Night!