veggie pad thai with tofu

Pad Thai has always been one of my favorite dishes when going out for thai food. Since becoming a Vegan 4yrs ago now, I have been working to find a recipe I could modify to meet our lifestyle and taste like the orignial. I think I finally perfected this recipe this time around!  Additionally, I offer some modifications to “skinny down” the recipe a bit…check it out below  under the Melissa’s Modification section!

My recipe starts out with seared tofu and builds from there. Give it a try!

To Healthy Eating!

Melissa

Veggie Pad Thai with Tofu

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Hors d'oeuvres/Appetizers, Main Dish, Side Dish
Cuisine Asian
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 8 oz Pad Thai Noodles Or subsitute Zucchini Noodles
  • 3 tbsp Oil
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 8 oz Tofu Extra Firm tofu, pan roasted.
  • 4 tbsps Just Eggs Egg Substitute - Scrambled; or 2 Eggs if you eat them
  • 1 cup Bean Sprouts Fresh
  • 1 red Pepper Thinly sliced
  • 3 Green onions Chopped
  • 1/2 cup Dry Roasted peanuts
  • 2 Limes
  • 1/2 cup Fresh Cilantro

Pad Thai Sauce

  • 2 tbsps Low Sodium Soy Sauce or Braggs Liquid Aminos
  • 5 tbsp brown sugar Light; or use Palm Sugar
  • 3 tbsp Rice Vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Sriracha hot sauce Add more to taste if you want it hotter!
  • 2 tbsp Creamy Peanut Butter Alternative Peanut Butter Powder, less fat & calories
  • 4 oz Snow Pea Pods
  • Optional *Tamarind

Instructions
 

  • Cook Noodles according to package instructions, just until tender, rinse under cold water.
  • Mix the sauce ingredients together. Set Aside.
  • Tofu - Even the firm/extra firm tofu has moisture...Be sure to press excess liquid out of Tofu with papertowels before slicing to pan sear in oil and liquid aminos.
  • Over medium heat 1- 1/2 tablespoons of oil and/or 1 tbsp of liquid Aminos in a sauce pan and place the sliced firm Tofu to brown on each side. Cook about 5-6 minutes until nicely browned on both sides. After cooked, break into smaller cube pieces.
  • Push everything aside and add a little more oil and add Just Eggs to scramble, break into pieces.
  • Add bean sprouts, snow pea pods, onions and sauce mixture and peanuts in the pan, reserve some peanuts for the top garnish.
  • Add noodles to the all ready cooking mixture. Carefully mix everything together, this will blend & combine all flavors for a super yummy and flavorful dish.
  • Top with chopped green onions, extra peanuts, cilantro and lime wedges.

Notes

Melissa's Modifications: If you have a Wok...by all means use it!
This recipe can be modified to add shrimp and/or chicken. Some recipes call for *Tamarind - This leguminous tree bearing edible fruit that grows in tropical Africa. The tree produces a brown like pod-like fruit that contains a sweet, tangy pulp. Sriracha hot sauce can be replace by use of Chili Power.
I love this dish, and I hate to spoil you making this by telling you the nutritional values....but I must! If you are watching calories, carbs, sugars or sodium, here are a few of my modifications to help skinny the recipe down a bit without sacrificing  taste: 1) To Reduce Fat and Calories, replace Creamy Peanut Butter with Peanut Butter Powder that has 50% less calories and 80% less Fat. 2) Make it all Vegetables Pad Thai, add more sprouts, snow peas, add broccoli, roasted string bean and carrots to replace the Tofu, 3) swap out the Rice Noodles with Zucchini Noodles and lastly, 4) reduce the measurement of  the light brown sugar in half, or replace with your favorite sweetener to taste.
Nutritional Values: 1 Serving (original recipe)  - 476 Calories; 23g Fat; 355mg Sodium; 53g Carbs;3g Fiber;34g Sugar; 12g Protein
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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