Pad Thai Hold the Noodles

My new favorite thing lately is broccoli slaw. When evenings are hectic, life calls for something a little less time-consuming than peeling and shredding eight zucchini or a block of time to bake a spaghetti squash. Insert packaged broccoli slaw. I have used it quite a few times this month as a base for meatballs and sauce, stir fry, and our new family favorite: Pad Thai.

I stumbled upon this sauce from the Clothes Make the Girl and could not wait to try it. You can definitely say the family loved it (thank you, Melissa!) because I used it–with a few minor tweaks because I don’t know how to leave anything alone– twice in one week to make Pad Thai with broccoli slaw. I seriously could not stop eating this! I had leftovers for breakfast the next morning and my daughter requested leftovers in her lunchbox too!

Ingredients:

2 lbs chicken or beef, cut into small strips or chunks
1/2 Tbsp sesame oil
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, sliced thin
1 sweet pepper, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 packages broccoli slaw
1 Tbsp cilantro paste or top with fresh cilantro
5 eggs (optional, but adds a nice depth to the dish)
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted (optional, but adds a nice crunch)

Sauce:

1 cup full fat coconut milk (if using 6oz. cans, reserve the rest of the 2nd can in your fridge for your coffee all week!)
3 Tbsp lime juice
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried ginger
3 Tbsp liquid aminos (or GF soy sauce, but if you switch to this you’ll never go back!)
2 tsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp red curry paste
3/4 cup nut butter (I used half almond, half sun)

Preparation:

Heat oil in large skillet. Add peppers, onions and garlic and sauté until they start to soften. Add meat and sauté until mostly cooked through. If using beef, only let brown for a few minutes before proceeding so it doesn’t get too tough in the end. Add broccoli slaw to skillet and combine. Cook for a few minutes, mixing occasionally. Lower heat, cover skillet and let alone while you make the sauce.

In small sauce pan over low heat, add coconut milk and whisk to get the chunks out. Add remaining ingredients and whisk until smooth. Add sauce to large skillet, mix and set uncovered on low heat to allow sauce to thicken. Meanwhile, in the same small sauce pan you used for the sauce crack five eggs and scramble until done well. Add eggs to large skillet and mix, add cilantro paste and combine or top with fresh cilantro, add toasted nuts, and serve!

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Notes:

-Use leftover or pre-cooked meat to save time. Add it to the large skillet just before adding the sauce.
-For a thicker sauce, add 1 Tbsp arrowroot powder to the sauce mixture or to the large skillet at the end to thicken.
-Make the sauce ahead of time. Double it while you’re at it because it makes a great dip or dressing.

Enjoy,

Heather