Saturday, June 30, 2012

Skinny Pad Thai

by Peg Cochran
Gigi Fitzgerald, the amateur sleuth in my first Gourmet De-Lite book, Allergic to Death, (which debuts in August!) creates gourmet diet meals for her clients.  She believes in eating well and enjoying  food but keeping it on the light side with lots of vegetables and clever substitutions for higher fat items.  I think she would approve of this lighter version of the delicious Pad Thai.



Makes approximately 6 servings
Rice noodles on left

Peanut Sauce
5 ounce can of evaporated milk
1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
2 TBL soy sauce
1 tsp. grated ginger (I love the stuff in jars that's already grated for you)


Pad Thai
8 ounces dried, thin rice noodles (available in most ethnic sections of your local supermarket)
Fresh ground chili paste
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup Splenda or sugar
2 TBL ketchup
1 1/2 TBL soy sauce (I prefer the low sodium kind)
1 lime
1/2 tsp Sambal Oelek or Sriracha (chili paste available in the ethnic section)
2 TBL vegetable or olive oil
2 chicken breasts cut in half horizontally and then into bite-sized pieces
2 garlic cloves, minced or put through a garlic press
1 large egg, beaten
1 can bean sprouts, rinsed
1 bunch green onions, sliced
1/2 cup chopped peanuts

Place ingredients for peanut sauce in blender and blend until smooth.

Soak rice noodles according to package directions.

Combine water, Splenda, ketchup, soy sauce, juice of 1 lime wedge (or squirt of lime juice), and chili paste in small bowl and mix.  Set aside.

Heat oil in skillet and add garlic.  Cook briefly until garlic begins to color slightly.  Add chicken and cook, stirring, until opaque, approximately five minutes.  Stir in noodles and pour ketchup mixture over noodles.  Cook approximately 2 minutes until sauce is absorbed.
Push noodles to side to cook egg

Push noodles to one side of skillet and add beaten egg.  Stir until egg is cooked, then mix into dish.  Add bean sprouts, 1/2 cup green onions and 1/4 cup peanuts.  Stir until mixed.

Place on serving plate and mix with peanut sauce.  Sprinkle remaining green onions and peanuts on top.  Serve with lime wedges for squeezing on top.


Enjoy!  Chopsticks optional!


2 comments:

  1. Peg, fun and easy. Um, does your "chopsticks optional" note mean we can eat it with our fingers? LOL!

    Avery aka Daryl

    ReplyDelete
  2. Avery, ha, ha, if you want! I enjoy using chopsticks but not everyone does. They can be a challenge!

    ReplyDelete