Zoodle Pad Thai with Chicken

If I were to dream about Pad Thai (you know, just hypothetically...), I think it would look like this. A rainbow mess of veggie noodles and hot, savory steam rising from the pan.

I mentioned it in my Thai Basil Chicken Recipe, but I love when Thai food is overloaded with veggies. Zoodles are the perfect way to do that! Regular Pad Thai calls for rice noodles, and I’ve made it that way, but what I love more is this combo of zoodles with caramelized red pepper strips and bright carrots. Hello, rainbow in a skillet!

This dish is also a “throw it all in the pan” sort of meal, which is just my style. If I know we’re going to be home late, I’ll spiralize the zucchini and chop the peppers and carrots in the morning, so that in the evening all I have to do is put things in a pan before eating. First the chicken, then the carrots and peppers, and finally the zoodles—they cook virtually instantly, so you barely have to wait before digging in!

Remember to sprinkle with crushed peanuts or cashews and a drizzle of Sriracha before you take the first bite. The crunch and zing is worth it. And if you want to really flex you culinary muscles, crack and egg into the pan in the last few minutes, scrambling it a bit. 

If you like this recipe, you'll also love this Zoodle Chicken Chow Mein, with cabbage and green beans.

Zoodle Pad Thai with Chicken

Published January 18, 2018 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Serves: 4   |    Total Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 2 medium zucchini
• 1 cup carrot, julienned
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 8 ounces chicken, cubed
• 1/4 cup scallions, minced 
• 1/4 cup cilantro, minced 
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil

For sauce:
• 2 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce 
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup 
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons Sriracha (your favorite brand or homemade)
• 2 tablespoon tahini 
• 1/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce OR if you prefer, Worcestershire sauce for a more mild fish flavor

For serving:
• 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, crushed 
• 1 lime, slided in wedges

Directions:

1. First, use a Spiralizer (affiliate link) to turn the zucchini into zoodles. Set zoodles aside.
2. Heat coconut oil in a skillet or wok over medium heat. Once oil glistens, add cubed chicken, browning for about 3 minutes on each side. Check to make sure the chicken is cooked through by slicing a piece in half— meat should be white all the way through, with no visible pink. If it is cooked through, use a slotted spoon to move chicken to a plate and set aside. (If any pink is left, cook in the skillet for a few extra minutes).
3. Add julienned carrot and sliced bell pepper to skillet, sautéing until tender. Once the carrots are tender and the peppers are starting to brown on the edges, add the chicken back into the pan, along with the zoodles, minced cilantro, and scallions.
4. Make the sauce: add all ingredients for the sauce to a small jar. Secure lid on jar, and shake until all ingredients are combined.
5. Pour sauce into skillet, and use tongs to move zoodles and chicken around in the pan so that everything is coated. Allow sauce to come to a simmer, and cook for 1 minute (just long enough for the zoodles to cook. I like them al dente—soft with a tiny bit of bite left- but you can cook them another minute if you prefer them extra soft).
6. Divide amongst serving bowls and top with crushed peanuts and lime wedges.

Slow Cooker Chili con Carne

It is 5am but I have given up on sleep. I awoke from a nightmare at 4am, and have been up since. Writing this post seemed like the thing to do when I finally gave up on sleeping, because in the quiet it's easy to write, and because the warmth of my own kitchen was exactly the comfort I needed in that moment. It is a bit to early to eat Chili con Carne, so I'm drinking coffee as I write this instead, and it'll do. 

I knew it was a dream, because I wasn't me, and I didn't know the people I was with. Still, it was vivid. I drove down the highway, with a passenger--a man- in the seat to my right, and two people in the back. I saw it as it happened, some twenty cars ahead of me: a collision. And then before I even had time to blink an eye, the car in front of me had halted. It seemed bigger than it had before. Is that possible? Either way, the vehicle in front of us was closer to my windshield than felt possible, and even though I was already braking it was too late. I felt myself flying forward, now in slow motion, and wondered for a split second if the airbags would go off, and what they would feel like. 

I woke then, with a start. My heart racing, panic in my breath, and a scream in my throat. For a few minutes, I could still picture it perfectly, and wondered their fate. But I knew. It seemed an odd dream to me: I had no idea who the people were, and for the life of me I couldn't remember the beginning of the dream, the part that gave some context. I hardly ever remember my dreams, once a year at most. 

And there I was, back in my own room, under the covers (which were much too warm), with no sounds but the wind lapping the window and my own elevated heart rate. I rolled over and checked the time: 4am. I knew I wouldn't be able to get back to sleep, but I tried anyways. For an hour I laid there, thinking first of the dream and then letting my mind wander. It stumbled straight to this chili con carne. Perhaps it was just the growing anxiety that I needed to write this post and was procrastinating, or perhaps I was seeking comfort. The kitchen--cooking- has always been comfort to me. And what is more comforting that a steaming bowl of spicy stew? Plus, my tummy rumbled.

My mind hovered there for several minutes: guajillo chilis aren't very spicy but they have solid flavor, especially when turned into a sauce. This particular slow cooked chili con carne also calls for a tablespoon of cocoa powder--something my roommate was skeptical of- but it lends a smooth, rich note that you wouldn't otherwise get. There's no taste of chocolate, just an added richness that provides the chilis with a backdrop. 

Sauce aside this stew is simple, and exactly what it sounds like. Meat in chili sauce. You put beef chuck in your Instant Pot/Slow Cooker (affiliate link), and you add the sauce. That's it! I also like to add some red kidney beans, but this is completely optional (skip them for Paleo). And since the stew is so simple, it gives you time and room to play with toppings. Fresh cilantro, avocado, slices of lime, or minced red onion. Cheese is pretty good too (duh). 

Slow Cooker Chili con Carne

Published January 9, 2018 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Serves: 6   |    Total Time: 12.5 hrs

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Ingredients:

• 4 dried guajillo chiles (find them in the ethnic food isle, or online here (affiliate link))
• 3 cups broth (beef or chicken)
• 2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
• 1 tablespoon ancho chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne (optional, adds spice)
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1 teaspoon black pepper 
• 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes 
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice 
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon lime juice 
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil 
• 2 pounds beef chuck, cubed
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 bay leaves 
• Optional: 1 14-ounce can red kidney beans, strained and rinsed (skip for Paleo-friendly)
• For serving: cilantro, red onion, avocado, limes

Directions:

1. Heat a skillet over medium heat, and toast the chiles until they are fragrant. Then, carefully remove the stems and place the chiles in a blender jar along with the broth, chipotle chiles, chili powder, optional cayenne, salt, black pepper, can of tomatoes, cumin, oregano, coriander, allspice, cocoa powder, and lime juice. Blender until smooth, and set aside.
2. Set your Instant Pot or Slow Cooker to the Sauté setting, and heat the coconut oil. Once it glistens, add the beef chuck, browning the pieces on all sides (about 3 minutes each side). Add the onion and garlic, and sauté, stirring occasionally, until fragrant. (Note: if your slow cooker does not have this setting, use a skillet on the stove over medium heat, and then transfer meat, garlic and onions to your slow cooker).
3. Pour sauce into slow cooker over meat, and add two bay leaves. Add red kidney beans at this time if using. Stir and then secure lid on pot. Set to medium heat and cook for 12 hours.
4. When ready to serve, garnish with cilantro, red onion, and lime wedges.

Braised Barramundi in Turmeric & Coconut Sauce (Paleo)

At the age of nine, yellow was my favorite color. Not lemon yellow, not lightning bolt yellow, just a soft pastel yellow. This was the case for quite a few years, and it led to some pretty terrible design decisions 🙈 

It was bad. Yellow bedroom bad. Make that two yellow bedrooms: within a few years, I had painted the bedroom at my mom's house and the bedroom at my dad's house yellow. Selecting calming colors for a bedroom really wasn't on my list of priorities at that point...

Fast forward 10 years: I was 19. My car at the time was a bright yellow VW Bug. After ten years, I had grown out of my love for yellow, but it was a fun ride regardless. There were a lot of good days in that car, but the best was the day I bought 20 bouquets of daffodils for a gymnastics meet. Do you know what it’s like to drive around town in a yellow bug full of yellow daffodils? It like you are swimming in a sea of floral, fresh, happy yellow. It's joyous. It's also funny, but it's fun. It made me love daffodils the way I loved yellow a decade before.

Jump up 7 more years, to now. I no longer have the Bug. None of the walls in our home are painted yellow. But on some occasions that same bright, bold, joyful shade of yellow sneaks into the house. It's in a completely different form: turmeric. The color alone reminds me of what it's like to be nine, bringing back visions of childhood. 

This braised barramundi is so bright it almost glows. It is super tender. Barramundi is a naturally flaky fish, and braising it makes it even more buttery. 

A few of you have asked me about sustainable seafood, especially in Colorado. Barramundi, while not from Colorado is a good option because, when raised responsibly, has a low carbon footprint and minimal environmental impact. Plus, you can get it in the freezer section of Costco!! That's what I used for this recipe (thawed the fish first) and it was great. 

The sauce, made with coconut milk, ginger, and turmeric (affiliate link!), is creamy, savory and a has a tiny bit of bite. We add extra red chili flakes on top to add a little heat, too 🔥

I served everything over brown rice, which really soaked up all that sauce, but for Paleo, you can skip the rice or serve with cauliflower rice.

More golden turmeric recipes: 

• Golden Potatoes

• Butternut Squash Curry

• Curried Cauliflower, Apple & Fennel Salad

Braised Barramundi in Turmeric & Coconut Sauce

Published December 28, 2017 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Serves: 2 as a main course, 4 as a side   |    Total Time: 45-50 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 1 fillet barramundi, cut into 2-3 pieces (I used frozen Barramundi from Costco and thawed it first)
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1/2 small yellow onion, sliced 
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander 
• 1 cup vegetable or chicken stock 
• 1-1/2 cups coconut milk 
• Juice of 1 lime
• Salt & Pepper
• For serving: cilantro, red chili flakes

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Heat coconut oil in a oven-safe skillet on the stove over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the minced ginger, garlic, and sliced onion. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add turmeric and coriander, and cook 30 seconds more, allowing the spices to toast a bit.
3. Pour stock, coconut milk, and lime juice into pan, and stir until combined. Place fish fillets in skillet in single layer. Season generously with salt and ground pepper. Place in oven and bake 10-15 minutes, until fish is cooked through, opaque, and flakey. (Thin fillets (1/2-inch thick) will take 10 minutes, while thicker fillets will take longer).
4. Pull from oven and top with cilantro leaves and red chili flakes. Serve warm.
5. We like serving this over a bed of rice because it soaks up all that sauce. Cauliflower rice would work, too!