Bariatric Pad Thai

As I've said many times, I post recipes here that scratch MY itch - and last night I was itching  for some Thai food, so...  that meant I needed to convert the national dish of Thailand into something bariatric friendly.

If you are unfamiliar, Pad Thai a stir-fried rice noodle dish commonly served as a street food and at casual local eateries in Thailand. It is made with soaked dried rice noodles, which are stir-fried with eggs and chopped firm tofu, and flavored with tamarind pulp, fish sauce, dried shrimp, garlic or shallots, red chili pepper and palm sugar, and served with lime wedges and often chopped roast peanuts.  And it's DELICIOUS - but also VERY heavily laden with carbs.

I obviously couldn't have that, which meant the high carb components with tasty low carb alternatives.  The bean sprouts replace the noodles.  A little sweetener replaces the palm sugar

Main Dish

1 lb diced protein* (cubed}
2 cans of bean sprouts (drained)

1 large egg (beaten)
2 bunches of green onion tops (chopped)
2 garlic cloves, grated

Add-ins

Fresh bean sprouts

shredded carrots

chopped peanuts

cilantro leaves

Sauce

2 Tbs of your favorite sweetener
1/8 tsp molasses
1 tsp fish sauce

4 Tbs soy
1 tsp sriracha (dependent upon how spicy)
splash of Worcestershire
ginger  (grated or dried)

Instructions

In a small bowl, stir together all the sauce ingredients and set aside
Heat a large (12 inch) skillet over high heat until screaming hot
Add a splash of sesame oil and  the protein until it begins to get some color
Add bean sprouts,  green onions and garlic
Allow sprouts and onions to wilt
Make a well in the center. add the egg and scramble into the mixture
Pour in the sauce, stir fry about 2 minutes until heated through.

Cooks Notes:

• The protein can be shrimp, pork, crab, squid, chicken, tofu or whatever you choose. 
• The molasses adds just a hint that gives the sweetener the flavor of brown sugar - don't freak.  it's only 0.6 grams of carbs added to the entire dish
•  Other, optional ingredients can be served on the side as condiments such as the red chili pepper, lime wedges, roasted peanuts, cilantro and fresh bean sprouts. 

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Per Serving	% Daily Value*
Calories 214
Total Fat 4.9g	6%
Saturated Fat 0.5g	3%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 119mg	43%
Sodium 1156mg	50%
Potassium 818mg	17%
Total Carb 10.9g	4%
Dietary Fiber 0.9g	3%
Net Carb 10g Sugars 1.9g
Protein 33.1g

Stir Fried Thai Shrimp with Tomatoes and Basil

Distinctive fresh Thai flavors make this simple dish an entertaining favorite 

Stir Fried Shrimp with Tomatoes and Basil

Nutritional Data per Serving
Calories 231
Total Fat 10.6g1
Saturated Fat 1.8g
Cholesterol 162mg
Sodium 832mg
Total Carbohydrates 12.8g
Dietary Fiber 2.3g
Sugars 3.0g
Protein 23.8g


2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons Southeast Asian fish sauce
4 teaspoons Splenda
3 tablespoons peanut oil
3 cloves garlic,chopped
1 tablespoon grated, peeled, fresh ginger
1/2 to 1 teaspoon red chile flakes
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 medium red onion, cut in 1-inch dice
1 medium yellow pepper, seeded, cut in 1-inch dice
1 small jalapeno,thinly sliced into rounds (optional)
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
3/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup torn fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice



In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, water, fish sauce, and Splenda; set aside.
Heat the oil in a largenon-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the garlic, ginger, and chile flakes, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the shrimp and stir-fry until pink but still translucent in the middle, about 2 minutes.
Transfer the shrimp to a medium bowl with a slotted spoon.
Add the onion, pepper, and chile to the skillet, and stir-fry until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
Return the shrimp to the pan along with the soy sauce mixture.
Bring to a boil, and stir-fry until the sauce glazes the shrimp, about 1 minute more.
Add the tomatoes and stir until coated with sauce, about 15 seconds.
Remove pan from the heat, stir in the basil, mint, and lime juice.
Transfer to a serving dish, serve immediately

Serves 4 to 6

Cook's Note: serve over quinoa, rice or pasta for your non-WLS guests

Easy Thai Chicken Thighs

This isn't a genuine Thai recipe, but it sure tastes like one.


Nutritional Values per serving:
399 Cal, 19g Fat, 6.2g Carbs, 1.8g Fiber, 2.4g Sugars, 48.9g Protein

2 lbs skinless chicken thighs
3/4 cup prepared hot salsa
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 Tbs lime juice
2 Tbs soy sauce
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
1/4 cup chopped peanuts for garnish
Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

Place the chicken thighs in a slow cooker.
Mix the remaining ingredients except the peanuts and cilantro and pour over the chicken.
Cook covered on low until the chicken is cooked through, 7 to 9 hours.
Serve garnished with chopped peanuts and cilantro.

Serves 4 to 6

Cook's Note: If you REALLY want the heat, you can drop in a few Thai birdseye chillies, but beware...