Thai Almond Zoodle Bowl

I think I’ve gotten a contact high from some paint job Rob was working on. Wooh. Not nearly enough ventilation in this apartment, that’s for sure.

I also made matters worse by busting out the grill pan and grilling up some bratwurst for lunch. The grill pan and brats produced a lot of smoke; I mean a lot of smoke. Even with the stovetop fan on, the apartment was enveloped in a cloud of smoke. Oops.

Paint smell + smoke = not a great combination.

I really wanted to start my meal prepping today, but I don’t think I’m going to be able to do it now. Rob & I are also meeting some friends to go see ‘The Meg’ later this afternoon, so I may push my meal prepping for tomorrow. I don’t have too much to make, but I like to split it up amongst two days. Plus, my Sundays are very brief—I have to be in bed by noon so I can start my overnight work week!

So here I am, typing up this blog while watching Brooklyn 99 in a shroud of funky smells. Best. Saturday. Ever.

I did a purge of my fridge yesterday. Throwing stuff away? No. I’m talking end-of-the-week, eat-the-rest-of-the-leftovers purge. I had a small amount of lemon pepper chicken left, a spoonful of smoked salmon, and a good sized portion of this zoodle-style salad I made to go with some baked chicken drumsticks (recipe forthcoming on that one).

This recipe is probably the most-keto I’ve gone. I used almond butter, which I have never used in a recipe, and a sugar replacement called erythritol (a sugar alcohol). If you aren’t keen on those things, just use peanut butter and regular sugar. Erythritol was good to give it a slightly sweet kick, but it is not nearly as sweet as sugar. I recommend amping it up with liquid stevia if you’re looking for sugar subsitutes that taste more like the real thing.

This zoodle bowl was refreshing and really reminded me of the Thai flavors that have been seriously lacking in my life. You get the sweet, tangy, spicy—everything good in life. I loved mixing the zucchini and sauce with cooked mushrooms and broccoli slaw. Yassss honey.

Take the dive and whip this up for a refreshing lunch or a side dish to some ribs or chicken.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Heat one tablespoon sesame oil in a large skillet. Add mushrooms and broccoli slaw; saute until tender, anout 4-5 minutes. Let cool.

Meanwhile, make the sauce: in a small bowl, whisk together remaining sesame oil, almond butter, soy sauce, erythritol, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir until smooth.

In a large bowl, toss zucchini noodles with cooked mushroom mixture, almond butter sauce, and sliced almonds. Refrigerate before serving.