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Simple, Homemade, and Healthy Chicken Pad Thai (gluten and dairy free)

@mrsannamaher’s Chicken Pad Thai

Processed with VSCOcam with c1 presetIf you aren’t interested in my story time, just scroll straight on down to the recipe. 🙂 It easy and makes a typical take out dinner achievable at home. It’s a bit healthier that what you buy in the restaurants, and will save you some cash. #winning

After Christmas, Chuck and I flew into San Francisco and rented a car to drive home.  It was a strange flight from Dallas to SFO, because we diverted to Phoenix, due to a medical emergency. In all our travels, that was the first time we were on a plane that took a detour.

Once we got off the plane and walked past the food court I saw a man eating Asian food and thought that looks so good.  We got our rental car and pulled off on University Blvd. in Berkley.  Soon after we saw a sign for “Bangkok Thai” and a restaurant that looked fairly full for 9:30PM.  Minutes after we started eating 6 cop cars flew by the restaurants with lights on! We ate a really yummy dinner, and later found out that gunshots were fired a couple blocks away. Needless to say, we had an adventurous night, and thus begun our recent Thai kick…

Tonight I made Pad Thai for the 3rd time and decided to write down my own recipe, because I have adapted the original recipe so much that there are really only a few similarities left!

There are some things in regular Pad Thai that make me a little nervous.  We are pretty cautious with soy products around here. Bragg’s is better for us and so good. We use organic whenever possible, and wash vegetables thoroughly with vinegar/water when not.

@mrsannamaher’s Chicken Pad Thai

1 package of Pad Thai rice noodles (you can sub linguine if you desire)

1/4 c bragg’s liquid aminos

1/4 c organic peanut butter or cashew butter

2 T arrowroot starch flour

2 T packed brown sugar

1 t minced fresh ginger

2 cloves minced garlic

2 t red chili paste (use 1 teaspoon if you prefer a less spicy option)

1 lime, halved

2 organic chicken breasts cut into thin strips

4 T organic coconut oil

1 organic medium bell pepper

1 medium onion

1/4 c organic shredded carrots

fresh organic basil or cilantro for a garnish (optional)

1. Prepare noodles according to package.

2. Mix together the ingredients listed before chicken.

3. Pour 1/3 of the liquid mixture over the chicken and set aside.

4. Saute the onion lightly in 2 T of coconut oil, adding the bell pepper and carrots after about a minute.

5. Once the vegetables are slightly tender, remove from pan and set aside.

6. Add the additional coconut oil, and fully cook the chicken.

7. Add the vegetables back in, the remaining sauce, and add your noodles, allow this to lightly simmer for a few minutes.

8. Add garnish and enjoy!

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God and all things organic.

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Healthy is trendy these days.

You don’t have to look far to validate this.

Our instagrams and facebook pages are clogged with juices, essential oils, gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, organic blah, blah, blah. (Mine too)  

And for the most part I love it.  We try to eat clean, exercise, and make good health choices.  I clean with mostly homemade products.  Some smelling better than others.  My old roommates hated it when I cleaned with vinegar.  My roommate these days is much less fussy/opinionated about these matters. 🙂

But there is a part of this whole trend that I think we really have to guard our hearts toward.

Much of this field is motivated by fear… That’s potentially the best marketing approach ever.

I read this scripture this morning and it sunk deep into me, bringing comfort and squashing fears.

“Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”  2 Peter 1:4 (NIV)

“For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of thedivine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.” 2 Peter 1:4 (NASB)

NASB version says lust rather than evil desires.  There is so much lust in our culture.  That lust leads industries to genetically modify products, regardless of how that affects society.  It also can lead “healthy” companies to lie about their products or market things to mothers of small children in a fear inducing you are a terrible mother if you don’t buy this product manipulative way.

I think we have to be discerning as people to make sure we are making our “health” decisions based on convictions rather than fears.

I love how this verse is basically saying we serve a God who is bigger than the evil and corrupt ways of this temporary world!

I am 100% for taking care of our earthly bodies, being in this for the long haul, and doing all that we Mahers can to release His kingdom on this earth.  We like everyone else want to make great life giving choices.

I just want to make sure that He and His kingdom are my 1st priority.  I want to make sure that I am more aware of His overcoming power than of the evils in this world.  I want my decisions to be rooted in faith rather than fear.

I pray that we will be clothed with His wisdom in the choice that we make.  I pray the His perfect love will cast out any fear.  I pray that we will be motivated by a healthy perspective of stewardship rather than fear as we make choices regarding health.  Above all, I pray that we will be so aware today of how good and big our God is!