Avocado Basil Pad Thai

If you’re looking for a simple pad thai recipe you can easily make at home again and again, look no further. This recipe is versatile, flavorful, and not at all hard to prepare. You can spice it up or down by changing the quantity of chili pepper used, add baked or fried tofu if you wish, even change the veggies depending on what you have on hand or what’s in season. This is a base recipe to work from, but we often include more veggies; broccoli, kale, bok choy, cabbage, carrots and mushrooms all make excellent additions. Simply slice thinly and saute them when you add the bean sprouts. You can even substitute toasted sesame seeds or toasted cashews for the peanuts if you prefer. If you’d like this to be oil free, simply leave it out, or saute veggies in vegetable broth instead. Protein packed and very filling this dish makes a great weeknight dinner and makes plenty for lunch leftovers.

Ingredients

• 1 package of 1/4" wide rice noodles, (think linguine size)
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 chili pepper, thai or red chili, de-seeded and finely chopped
• 1 cup shallot or yellow onion, sliced
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 1 cup mung bean sprouts (or cabbage, thinly sliced)
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 cup peanuts, roasted and unsalted, chopped
• 4 Tbsp soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos (soy sauce substitute)
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar (or agave)
• 2 Tbsp ketchup or tamarind paste
• 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp sesame, peanut, or grape seed oil
• 1 ripe avocado, diced

Method