Raw, “Pad Thai” Peanut Salad

There is nothing like Asian pad thai noodle salad. I found an amazing, sesame pad thai recipe in The China Study Cookbook, but there was only one problem… the Asian noodles left me feeling overly full after eating. So I tweaked the recipe a bit and made it fully raw with a delicious peanut dressing. Think about the calories we are saving here by replacing 4 ounces of pad thai noodles (a whopping 420 calories & 88g of carbohydrates) with two zucchinis (a measly 62 calories & 13g of carbs total). Your tastebuds (and summer bikini) will thank me.

This summer has been crazy for me – along with teaching summer classes at Texas A&M, I am also instructing spinning and yoga classes at the campus Recreation Center while taking a full load of courses, working to finish my Masters. Needless to say, there is not always ample time to make a healthy meal-on-the-go. This salad has become one of my refrigerator staples over the past few weeks… I like to make a big portion over the weekend and box it up in the morning to take to work. Keep the dressing separate from the salad and both will keep in the refrigerator for about a week. Hope you enjoy!

Raw, “Pad Thai” Peanut Salad

 

save print

ingredients

for the salad

• 2 zucchinis
• 4 cups shredded cabbage
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 carrots, shredded
• 1 cup peanuts, crushed
• ½ purple onion, diced
• ¼ cup sesame seeds
• ¼ cup cilantro

for the dressing

• ¼ cup Bragg's liquid aminos
• 2 tbsp peanut butter
• 2 tbsp tahini
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp agave
• 1 tbsp minced ginger
• 2 tsp chili paste (my favorite is Sambal Oelek)
• ½ tsp black pepper

instructions

1. Begin by spiralizing the zucchinis. I use a Veggetti Spiral Slicer (If you don't have a spiral slicer, you can always use a potato peeler)_.
2. Mix the salad ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Whisk dressing ingredients in a small bowl or process in a blender for a smoother consistency.
4. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss.

3.5.3208