Shrimp Pad Thai

I had been hankering for some good Pad Thai but haven’t had the time to actually go out for it.  Plus, with trying to watch calories, I wanted to be sure that I wasn’t blowing my entire daily allowance on one meal…which in the past has been known to happen.  Oh, who am I kidding, it’ll happen in the future, too…I mean what are birthdays for??

I was very pleased with my own low-cal version and I hope you like it, too.  It was spicy and sweet with a little hint of peanutty goodness, delish!!  Honestly, anytime I throw some veggies and any kind of protein in a wok with some soy sauce, this little Asian is a happy, happy girl!  This is a Thai version of noodles and veggies and in the very near future, I’ll be sure to post my own ‘Pino bit of heaven, Pancit…so stay tuned!

If you are not a fan of shrimp, or have a shellfish allergy you can certainly sub chicken for this recipe and it’ll be just as fabulous.  Just cut your chicken into strips and be sure to cook until no longer pink.

Ingredients: 

4 ounces dried rice noodles4 cups fat free low sodium chicken broth, warmed

2 teaspoons sesame oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 large egg, lightly beaten

8 ounces shrimp, peeled and deveined (if you are using large shrimp, chop them in half)

½ cup chopped celery

1 cup yellow or red pepper, chopped

2 cups shredded cabbage

2 cups mung bean sprouts (these are the white bean sprouts, not the green)

1/4 cup chopped scallion greens

Sauce:

3 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 1/2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon Siracha or chili-garlic sauce (or more if you like spicy!)

1 tablespoon smooth peanut butter

Preparation:

Soak rice noodles in warm chicken broth in a large bowl and cover until they are limp, about 20 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, Siracha and peanut butter.  Whisk to combine.  Set aside.

Heat oil over high heat in a wok until very hot.  Add the garlic and stir-fry about 10 seconds. Add the egg and stir until scrambled, about 30 seconds.  Here is my blurry picture…hey, it’s hard to stir and take a picture at the same time…

Add the shrimp and stir-fry until they turn pink on all sides, about 2 minutes. 

Add the celery and peppers and stir, about 1 minute.

Drain the noodles and add to the wok, tossing with tongs until they soften, about 1 minute.  Add cabbage, bean sprouts and scallion greens.  Toss to incorporate.

Add the sauce and toss.  Heat through, about 1 or 2 minutes more.  Sprinkle with more scallions and red pepper flakes if you’d like.  Serve!

Serves 6 (approx 1 cup each)

Per serving: Calories 271 / Fat 5g / Protein 15g / Fiber 1g / Sodium 512mg