shrimp pad thai

We love Asian food but stopped ordering takeout long ago in favor of homemade recipes like this one—clean and fresh, with spiralized taro root in place of rice noodles. You’ll never miss the real thing. Taro is similar to potato in taste and full of fiber and resistant starch, which can help balance your blood sugar.

Yield 4 servings
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
80:20

1½ lb taro root, peeled and spiralized

16 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

Himalayan pink salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp olive oil

¾ cup sliced scallions

1 clove garlic, minced

8 cups baby spinach

For the sauce

1 tbsp chickpea miso

1 tbsp raw tahini (Artisana Organics brand recommended)

1 tbsp coconut aminos

2 tsp freshly grated ginger

2 tbsp unsweetened rice vinegar

2 tsp maple syrup

1 tsp chili paste or sriracha sauce

Dash of ground cinnamon

1½ tbsp water

To garnish

Black or white sesame seeds

Fresh cilantro leaves

Lime wedges

1   In a large saucepan of salted, boiling water, cook the spiralized taro root for about 5 minutes or until tender but firm. (Thinner spirals will cook more quickly.) Drain in a colander and set aside.

2   Pat the shrimp dry. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

3   To make the sauce, in a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Whisk until smooth.

4   In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. When hot (but not smoking), add the shrimp, scallions, and garlic. Sauté for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the drained taro root and the sauce, and toss until combined. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes more or until the noodles are heated through and the shrimp turns pink. (Be careful not to overcook, as the shrimp will become tough and the taro will become sticky.)

5   Serve over a bed of baby spinach, and garnish with sesame seeds, cilantro, and lime wedges.

variation

If you are unable to find taro root, you can substitute zucchini noodles.

shrimp pad thai