Plant Based Pad Thai

by Ann and Jane Esselstyn photos by Karin McKenna

SERVES 3- 4 The evening and dinner are etched in memory: I was in Boulder, Colorado, with my brother Zeb while our pal Morgan recounted a dramatic rock climbing accident and rescue, all while I tried Pad Thai for the first time. I feasted on every nail-biting detail of the story and every delicious bite of my Pad Thai. Re-creating a plant-based version for this book was top of the list, and it turns out it's easy to swap out eggs and meat for tofu. There are four important steps to this recipe, and good timing helps. Try to coordinate cooking the noodles in the final minutes the vegetables and tofu are cooking. Note: To make heart disease friendly: Leave out the avocado.

PAD THAI SAUCE

• 3 Tablespoons low-sodium tamari • 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar • 2 Tablespoons maple syrup • 1 Tablespoon tamarind puree or ketchup (with no added high fructose corn syrup) • ½ teaspoon hot sauce, optional

NOODLES

• 8 ounces pad Thai-style brown rice noodles • 1 cup onion, sliced into half-moons • 3 cloves garlic, minced • 8 ounces extra-firm tofu, cubed • ¼ cup julienned carrots • ½ red bell pepper, julienned • ½ cup thinly sliced purple cabbage 1. Make the pad Thai sauce (see tip): In a small bowl, whisk together the tamari, rice vinegar, maple syrup, tamarind puree, and hot sauce (if using). Set aside. 2. Make the noodles: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pad Thai noodles and cook according to the package directions. (If possible, aim to do this when the vegetables and tofu are cooking in next step below.) 3. In a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat, cook the onion until translucent, about 3 minutes. If the pan gets dry, add a tablespoon of water. Add the garlic and continue stirring for another minute or two before adding the tofu, carrots, red pepper, purple cabbage, and green onions. If the pan gets too dry, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time as needed. 4. Drain the noodles. When the vegetables are tender but still a bit crisp and bright in color, add the noodles to the pan along with the pad Thai sauce (if you doubled the sauce, save some for those who seek to add more, and for any leftovers). Mix and toss everything together. 5. Plate each serving with a heap of mung bean sprouts (if using), a sprinkle of cilantro, avocado (if using), a handful of chopped peanuts, and a wedge of lime. • 3 green onions, chopped • 1-2 cups mung bean sprouts, optional • ½ cup cilantro, roughly chopped • 1 avocado, cubed, optional • ½ cup coarsely chopped dry-roasted peanuts (no oil or salt added) • 1 lime, cut into wedges

TIP:

Consider doubling the amount of sauce. We find we like the option of having a bit extra for drizzling on the dish during the meal, or for any leftovers, as the noodles tend to absorb the sauce in the fridge. Excerpted from BE A PLANT-BASED WOMAN WARRIOR: Live Fierce, Stay Bold, Eat Delicious by Jane Esselstyn and Ann Crile Esselstyn, to be published on 8/23/2022 by Avery, an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC. Copyright © 2022 by Jane Esselstyn and Ann Crile Esselstyn