Raw Pad Thai

The month of August has been dedicated to eating better and cleaning up my diet a bit. In order to jump start my goal, I decided to eat a raw diet for the entire month. I know, this is where I’m going to loose some of y’all. But before you decide to exit left, hear me out. A raw diet is simply focusing on eating whole foods in their natural state. The diet is filled with fruits, vegetables, seeds, sprouted grains, and legumes. All these can be eaten raw or heated at temperatures at below 104–118°F (40–48°C).

I’ve completed this diet at least once a year since I started my vegan lifestyle journey. I started out with just 2 weeks at a time then transitioned to a month then last year, I continued for 2 months. This year, I hope to stay focused and stay raw for 3 months. To read more about the benefits of eating raw, check out this great documentary here and here.

I will be sharing a few recipes as I move through my raw eating. The first is a raw Pad Thai that I’m seriously in love with. I’m a huge fan of traditional Pad Thai and when I found out that it can be consumed raw, I had to try it out.

THE KEY INGREDIENT

The key ingredient in this recipe is kelp noodles. The noodles are made of the sea vegetable, kelp, and are void of flour or grains. Just simply salt, kelp, and water. They’re packed with minerals, low in sugar, carbs, fat, and gluten-free. It’s a winner all around.

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HOW TO MAKE IT

• 1 package of kelp noodles (buy it here)
• 3 large carrots, sliced thin
• 1 large zucchini, shredded
• 3 scallions stalks, chopped
• 1/2 bell pepper, sliced thin
• chopped basil for garnish

The sauce

• 3 garlic cloves, chopped fine
• 2 tbls ginger powder
• 1/4 cup peanut butter or almond butter
• 2 tbls tahini
• 4 tbls tamari or liquid aminos
• 4 tbls maple syrup
• 1 tbls sesame oil
• 2 tsp lime juice
• a dash of black pepper
• a dash of red pepper flakes (optional)
• a pinch of sea salt (to taste)

Rinse the kelp noodles with water. Soak them in a bowl of warm water for at least 5 hours. The longer they soak, the softer they become. I soaked mine for 8 hours. After they are soft enough for you, drain the water and add carrots, scallions, zucchini, and bell pepper.

In a separate bowl, combine all the ingredients for the sauce. Use a whisk to blend the sauce until nice and creamy. Add the sauce to the noodles and stir. Taste for salt and spice level. Add more salt or pepper flakes if needed. Garnish with chopped basil. And that’s it. You’re ready to enjoy your raw Pad Thai.

The meal is savory and the mix of soft and crunchy textures makes it so satisfying and filling. It’s best eaten right away. You can refrigerate this for a week. Don’t freeze it.