She is a snacker.
I think she may even forget about eating until she is too hungry. This is often because she doesn’t want to take the time to make anything. She likes it to be ready.
This post is dedicated to her. I want to show her that it is possible to make something delicious, filling and healthy that does not take much time. And it isn’t soup!

Not that snacking is a bad thing. It can be a good thing if the snack choices are healthy ones. However, sometimes, snacking turns into opening jars and cans and packages and things. Sometimes these things are processed or high in fat and sugars. I encourage you to keep these items to a minimum or eliminate them entirely. Reaching for food that you know comes from the Earth is a good way to know if you are making a healthy choice.
For my daughter, I am thinking of a satisfying Pad Thai dish, that I love to make, with raw veggie noodles but can also be made with cooked rice noodles. Although that will take longer because you have to wait for the water to boil. Kelp noodles or wakame noodles are also an alternative, if you have access to them.
Barbara’s Vegan Pad Thai Made Easy
I begin by turning veggies into noodles. This is easily done with a spiralizer. If you don’t have one, you can use a julienne peeler or a regular peeler and cut thin strips. I highly recommend buying a spiralizer. It is inexpensive and definitely worth it. It only takes a few minutes to make lots of noodles. These are also great for snacking on as is. Toss with a sprinkle of Himalayan salt and enjoy. Feel free to try other vegetables that you love such as parsnip, rutabaga, yams, beets, etc.
The next thing is to combine the sauce ingredients.
Stir together until it is nice and smooth and the thickness that you want. If you add more water, do it in small increments at a time.
Remember to taste and adjust the ingredients if necessary. I like a bit of heat so I added a lot of pepper and red pepper flakes. You could also add cayenne pepper.
Finally toss the two together, garnish with parsley or cilantro and share with someone you love.
Leftover sauce is great for dipping veggies or for nori wraps. It will keep in the fridge for at least a week.
Thanks for reading!
Barbara's Vegan Pad Thai Made Easy
Author: Barbara Dolan
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Asian
Prep time: 15 mins
Total time: 15 mins
Serves: 2 Servings
Use organic ingredients whenever possible. This recipe can easily be doubled for a crowd.
Ingredients
1 large zucchini, spiralized or cut in thin strips with a julienne peeler
1 large carrot, spiralized or cut in thin strips with a julienne peeler
½ red pepper, cut in thin strips
2 Tablespoons almond butter
2 Tablespoons tahini
1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar (or balsamic vinegar or more lime juice)
1 Tablespoon Tamari or Bragg's or Himalayan salt to taste
¼ cup water or more to get desired consistency
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 " piece of ginger, peeled and very finely grated
freshly ground pepper to taste
½ teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder (optional)
sprinkle red pepper flakes (optional)
minced parsley or cilantro, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Prepare the vegetables and place in a large bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients, except for the parsley or cilantro.
Add more water as needed to reach the consistency that you would like. I prefer a thicker sauce but you may like it thinner. Add a tiny bit at a time.
Taste the sauce and adjust seasonings as necessary.
Mix some sauce with the vegetables, adding enough to coat the veggies and then a little more.
Pour any remaining sauce in a glass jar and keep in the fridge. It will keep for at least a week. Great for dipping with veggies.
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