Veggie Pad Thai

I know from the looks of it...this may not look THAT good, but trust me it is! The last couple years I've been on a journey to incorporate more veggies into every meal with veggies as the center of my meal. 

We are meat lovers in this house, and try to buy organic meat as much as possible,which can get expensive. Eating more vegetarian meals really isn't so bad and it saves money. I think I have a huge stigma for meat because growing up it was the center of every meal, and veggies were small on the side. It's a bit challenging getting rid of that mindset as we get older, when we've been programmed with that attitude. I don't know why, but I feel proud of myself when I create a great vegetarian meal! I think it's because I set myself of for the challenge every meal. Which can be fun, actually.  Vegetables are extremely satisfying and really can fill you up, including men! I think there's a crazy notion out there, that woman and men-mostly men cannot get full on veggies. It's simply not true!

Veggie Pad Thai

Ingredients:

brown rice noodles (I used Annie Chun's)

2 Tbsp. coconut oil

1 onion, minced

1/2 bell pepper, minced

2 carrots shredded

thai peanut sauce* (homemade)(can purchase, but be careful of harmful ingredients that are added into sauces on store shelves-buy organic)

garnish with fresh cilantro or basil

optional: dash of fish sauce

optional: Shrimp, chicken, or beef

Side Note: You can add other vegetables into this dish (like bean sprouts). These happend to be the  ingredients I had on hand at the time.

Bring water to boil for the rice noodles . Saute coconut oil, onion, and bell pepper on low-medium heat, until tender. Start shredding the carrots and place to the side. Add the carrots to saute pan once the veggies are tender and blend well. Keep saute pan on low heat.  Cook noodles to the directions on the box, and then place in saute pan and blend well. Pour 1/2c. of the peanut sauce into pan and blend well. Can add more to your particular taste. Garnish with cilantro or basil. Serve hot. 

Side Note: Be careful when cooking with the rice noodles, if you cook and place to the side, it will get very mushy, and will all stick together. Time the noodles right. Do the veggies first, so its ready when you add the noodles in.

*Thai Peanut Sauce*

1/4c. local honey

1/4c. smooth, unsalted peanut butter

1 tbsp. peanuts, crushed

3 tbsp organic soy sauce

2 tbsp. rice vinegar

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp pure sesame oil

2 tsp minced fresh garlic

1 tbsp. minced fresh ginger root

1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

 (This is spicy-if don't like spicy, add less-about 1/8-1/4 tsp or none at all if you don't like spice)

Stir together all ingredients into a bowl with a whisk. Pour into air tight container (glass is best), and refrigerate. Can use right away.