I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not one to follow recipes. I learnt this lesson the hard way when I started experimenting with gluten-free and dairy-free baking, when I thought swapping in coconut flour for almond flour was nothing but a simple quick fix, when really, it resulted in an atrocious loaf of banana bread crumbs. But in the rare occasion, my stubbornness around not following recipes will pay off and turn into a beautiful bowl of spiralized Sweet Potato Veggie Pad Thai!

I’ve been a lover of Thai food since the beginning of time (or since the first time I came face-to-face with a big bowl of Westernized Cashew Nut Chicken – it did the trick at the time, okay?) The perfect blend of flavours of sweet, spice and cooling freshness is really all I need in life. Thai food tends to revolve around healing herbs and spices that aren’t used as frequently in Western cuisine, such as Galangal, which aids in digestion, Lemongrass, which can also aid in digestion and soothe nasal congestion or Coriander, which can help to relieve bloating.

However, it’s best to steer clear of quick Thai take-out from restaurants, which is where the sugar-laden sauces and fried foods come into play. Plus, doesn’t everything just taste better when you’re aware of the healing foods and amount of love that has gone into making it?

My goal in all recipes I create is to make every bite as nutrient-dense as possible. Rice noodles, which are typically used in pad thai, might be gluten-free, but they aren’t giving my body the utmost nutrition it could be receiving than if I had used a plant-based source. Sweet potatoes, on the other hand, are an amazing source of beta-carotene (Vitamin A), Vitamin C and dietary fibre.

So when you’re stuck in between a sweet potato and spiralizer, you have no choice but to throw together the best bowl of Sweet Potato Veggie Pad Thai you’ve ever made! If you’re looking for a low-carbohydrate or lower calorie option, you can also substitute spiralized zucchini for the sweet potato, which rings in at 3.5g of carbohydrates and only 19 calories per cup. I promise the spiralizing will be just as fun either way!

Sweet Potato Veggie Pad Thai

Ingredients

2 sweet potatoes, spiralized
1 cup broccoli florets, sauteed
1 cup sliced carrot, sauteed
1 cup cauliflower florets, sauteed
1 tbsp avocado oil
cilantro, garnish

Pad Thai Sauce Ingredients

1/4 cup tamari
1/4 cup olive oil
1 fresh lime, squeezed
2 tbsp almond butter
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1 tsp red chili flakes
sea salt (to taste)

Directions

Spiralize sweet potatoes and set aside in large bowl
Drizzle grapeseed oil on a pan set to medium heat
Sauté broccoli, cauliflower and carrots (and any other veggies of your choice)
Set veggies aside. Sauté sweet potato noodles in pan for ~8 minutes until they reach a noodle-like texture. Remove from pan and put into a large mixing bowl. Add sautéed veggies to bowl.
In a separate bowl, mix all Pad Thai Sauce ingredients together with a whisk until smooth. Consistency should be runny-thick (thin out with olive oil if necessary)
Pour Pad Thai Sauce over sweet potato noodles and veggies
Mix with tongs, plate, garnish with cilantro and serve.