Quick, easy, and oh so supremely scrumptious, easy to eat way too much, do yourself a favour, just triple the recipe. Have I mentioned I love Pad Thai, I have been experimenting with different peanut-free pad thai recipes and there are many variations but this toasted almond pad thai sauce is my new love. It’s so easy to whip up and makes everything taste good, so load up on those veggies, your favourite type of grilled meat, a sprinkling of toasted coconut and crunchy cashews on top for that familiar flair. You could use rice noodles like I did or if you’re eating supa-clean you could make zucchini noodles or use kelp noodles. If you’re really feeling like going all out, put an egg on it!
What do I have again peanuts? Well, nothing when it comes to wild raw jungle peanuts, which are kinda sorta way too expensive and hard to find. Commercial peanuts, the kind we all know and think we love, they’re a different story. Peanuts aren’t even a nut, they are a legume, and their pods are permeable, unlike nuts whose shells are sturdy, the shell of the peanut is susceptible to excess moisture and other nasties. Which is what makes them so susceptible to molds like the carcinogenic aflatoxin. Aflatoxin wreaks havoc on the liver and has been shown to stunt growth in children. Non-organic peanuts are heavily sprayed because of this tendency to mold. What about organic? Nope, sorry but even organic well-loved peanuts are susceptible to aflatoxin, depending on weather conditions and excess humidity.
Legumes contain lectins and phytates which our bodies aren’t capable of breaking down, this equates to unnecessary digestive stress. Lectins can also exacerbate conditions of inflammation. The high portion of omega-6 fatty acids vs omega-3 can also cause problems with inflammation and overall well being. Humans aren’t meant to be consuming such high levels of omega-6 fatty acids and while statistics say we are getting 20 omega 6 to 1 omega 3, what our bodies need is more like a 3:1 ratio.
Have I convinced you to make this fantastic peanut-free pad thai yet?
- ½ a package of rice noodles or a package of kelp noodles OR make your own zucchini noodles in a spiralizer.
- ½ cup roasted almonds or ¼ C roasted almond butter
- ½ can of coconut milk
- 2 tsp lime juice
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- 2 tsp coconut aminos or tamari (soy sauce)
- 2 tsp coconut sugar
- 2 thai bird chilis, finely chopped or 2 tsp red chili flakes
- 2-3 garlic cloves
- 1 inch fresh ginger
- a few handfuls fresh greens
- 1 carrot, grated
- ½ zuchinni, cut into matchsticks
- ½ C cabbage, finely sliced
- ¼ C cashews, finely chopped and toasted (optional)
- ¼ C coconut flakes, toasted (optional)
- your choice of grilled meat, finely sliced (optional)
- a few green onions, finely chopped
- Bring a pot of water to boil and add your rice noodles, cooking time will depend on the size of noodle, read directions on package.
- In blender or food processor, add almonds, coconut milk, fish sauce, coconut oil, aminos or tamari, coconut sugar, chili, garlic and ginger. Process until well blended and smooth.
- Drain the noodles and mix with the sauce.
- To assemble your boils, add some greens to each, saucy noodles, little piles of each type of vegetable, meat, and top with cashews, coconut and green onion.
