I love Pad Thai, but it's nearing the end of winter and my pants are getting a little tight! This low calorie Pad Thai is perfect, it's full flavor - but because it doesn't use any cooking oil and uses 0 calorie noodles, I can enjoy it even when I'm counting calories.
10ouncesof your favorite protein combo. For this recipe I used 3 ounces of tofuand 7 ounces of chicken (I like to mix and match chicken, shrimp, tofu, and pork)
2Finely diced shallotsor 1/4 onion
1-2Clovesof garlic
The Rest
1Large carrot cut into match sticks
2Eggs
10Ounceskelp noodlesor zoodles if these 0 calorie noodles aren't available
2Tablespoonsunsweetened peanut butter
1Large head of broccoli
5Ouncesof bean sprouts
1Bunch of cilantro
1ouncegarlic chivesoptional
Limes quartered to use for seasoning
Instructions
In a mason jar prepare the Pad Thai sauce. Shake together the tamarind puree, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, chili powder, and water. Warning - do not mix this in a blender, often the tamarind paste will have hard seeds in it, and if you use a blender these pieces will be too small to filter out without clogging a mesh strainer. In a few steps, we'll use the lid of the mason jar or a spoon to pour in the sauce without letting the seeds into the dish.
Heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add your protein, and cook until nicely browned and nearly cooked through. Add the shallots and garlic, and finish cooking the protein. Transfer the protein to a clean dish and return the pan to the heat.
De-glaze the pan with the Pad Thai sauce (use the lid of the mason jar to strain out the seeds - only pour the liquid into the pan) and immediately add the carrots. Scramble in the two eggs. Once the eggs have set, add in the kelp noodles and 2 tablespoons of peanut butter. Add water if it is too difficult to mix in the peanut butter.
Once the noodles have softened, add in the broccoli and bean sprouts. Quickly mix the protein back in, and cover until the broccoli turns bright green.
Serve garnished with fresh cilantro, garlic chives, and limes.
Notes
For calculating calories I assumed the protein was 7 ounces of chicken and 3 ounces of tofu. This dish is Gluten-free and Dairy-Free!