I’ve been going easy on the grains lately. Mostly because I’m trying to follow the Body By Design program (which I’ll talk about tomorrow), but also because I’ve been putting on just a wee bit of weight. Not that I care what I weigh, really. I don’t. In fact, I honestly have no idea how much I weigh. I do, however, care how my clothes fit and recently they’re just a little too snug for comfort.
Back to the lower grain intake… I’m keeping an eye on how many carbs I consume, and cookies I eat, healthy or not, all those bites of cookies do add up. For the most part, I eat pretty much a Paleo-based diet- consuming LOW grains and legumes, low starchy vegetables, lots of fresh vegetables, and good sources of protein.
Lately, I’ve been making meals light, veggie-filled, and lower in carbohydrates. When taking away carbs, I add in higher amounts of protein, fat, and of course, flavor. Mind you, protein, fat, and carbohydrates are NOT the enemy. You need all of them to live and thrive.
Besides being a fan of Paleo, I love the raw/vegan lifestyle. Especially during the summer when garden foods are readily abundant. So many wonderful vegetables and fruits at my disposal. And so many wonderful recipes that are just screaming to be made!
Take my meal last night. Rich, creamy, loaded with protein, healthy fats, and bursting with flavor, flavor, flavor. Not to mention, it’s pasta without the carbs. Colorful, too!
Spicy Thai Sauce
[paleo. raw. vegan. gluten-free. dairy-free. a m a z i n g flavor.]
Makes about 1 1/2 cups of sauce
- 1/2 cup coconut milk (fresh or from a can)
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup almond butter
- 1/4 cup miso (or a little less than 1/4 cup soy sauce or Tamari)
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 jalapeno
- 2 garlic cloves (no need to crush or dice!)
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- dash of salt
Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until creamy. Set aside, covered in the refrigerator, while you make your “pasta”.
For the pasta, thinly slice, shred, or peel (using a peeler is the best way to make these) any array of vegetables you’d like. I used one large red bell pepper, three zucchini, two carrots, and half of a large cucumber. Any vegetables would taste great with this, though. Roughly chopped cilantro and diced tomatoes do wonders with this dish, too.
Mix all peeled veggies, a little baked chicken and the lovely, creamy Spicy Thai Sauce in a large bowl and serve. This recipe makes at least 4 large bowls of Pad Thai, if not more. Plenty of leftover sauce for future dippage.
Wait, wait! That’s not all!
Did I mention I doubled the sauce recipe?
Oh yes. I did. And who would have though turning it into a hummus was a brilliant idea? Yeah… I did that too.
Spicy Coconut Thai Hummus
[wonderful]
- 1 can chickpeas (about 2 cups)
- 1 full recipe Spicy Thai Sauce (recipe above…)
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 1 tsp salt or more miso
- paprika for sprinkling on top
Blend all ingredients together. Taste, adjust, enjoy!
So, had enough Thai yet? Nooooo…. just try it, you’ll never forget the flavors of this sauce (or hummus)! I promise.
Any Thai foods you like? Any you’d like to see made healthy? Pass them along!
Hi everyone, I'm Lori and this is my blog What Runs Lori.
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