If you’ve been following me over on Instagram, particularly my stories, then you probably know that I’ve been sticking to a (mostly) paleo diet for the last several weeks. Both my husband and I decided awhile ago, that we wanted to take a stab at eating foods that are considered “paleo” as much as possible. What does this mean exactly? In a nutshell, it means that we’re trying not to eat junk! We’ve essentially cut carbs, dairy and processed foods from our diets, and have been making an effort to eat as much “real” food as we can on a daily basis. So far, its actually going really well, and we’re both feeling pretty amazing, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t miss some of our favorite guilty pleasures. We love Pad Thai, and about a week ago, I was craving it hard. I knew that if I didn’t find a way to makeover one of our beloved take-out indulgences, that it might lead to big time cheat, so my mission was clear.
Spaghetti squash has become such as awesome alternative to pasta for me. It’s a great option when you’re craving comfort food, but are looking to lighten things up a bit. I think a lot of people are intimidated by spaghetti squash because they aren’t quite sure how to prepare it, but it’s actually really simple to do. I like to cut mine in half right across the middle (not lengthwise like most), then I scoop out the seeds, and place both halves cut-side down in a 9×13 glass baking dish in about a 1/2 inch to an inch of water. After that, I pop it in the microwave for about 15 minutes. When it’s done, its really hot, so you have to let it cool before handling it. Then I just use a fork to remove the “noodles” from the skin and reserve them for whatever dish I plan on making.
Honestly, once you’ve cooked your spaghetti squash, you’ve already accomplished the hardest part of preparing this recipe. After that, it’s a cinch to throw together, which is good, because I can assure you, you’ll be craving these thai peanut noodles often. We’ve been eating them as a side dish, or meat-free option during Lent, but you could easily make this a meal with the addition of some chicken or shrimp! What I love the most is that these noodles are a gluten free, refined sugar free, and healthy dupe, that tastes so good, you won’t even miss the real thing!
- 1 medium spaghetti squash, prepared
- 1 (14 oz.) can of coconut milk
- 2/3 cup of all natural peanut butter (or if you want to be truly paleo, almond or cashew butter)
- 2 Tbs red curry paste
- 1/4 cup of coconut sugar
- 2 Tbs rice vinegar
- 3 Tbs coconut aminos (or soy sauce)
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/2 cup of water
- chopped peanuts
- scallions (chopped)
- 1. Combine all of the ingredients for the sauce in a saucepan and whisk together over medium heat.
- 2. Bring to simmer, stirring often, and then reduce to low heat and allow the sauce to thicken a bit.
- 3. To make the noodles, combine the spaghetti squash with about a cup of the sauce in a sauté pan stirring until combined and warm. (you can add more or less sauce, depending on how you like your noodles.
- 4. Garnish with chopped peanuts and scallions and serve.
oh my god I cannot wait to make these! i am seriously salivating now.
Ok I am so excited to try this! I love thai peanut sauce and it’s even better with the squash noodles!! xo ~ Megan
This looks amazing!!
Thank you Chelsea!