Pad Thai and Pork Fried "Rice" (Low-Carb, Gluten-free)

One of the best feelings you can experience in this world is contentment from eating exactly what you want. That is what I felt when, after weeks of craving, I finally decided to wing my own version of Pad Thai and have it for a laid-back Friday night dinner. So food happy. The fried rice worked great alongside the egg-wrapped noodle-y goodness, with both dishes featuring subtle heat from the peppers as well as bright hints of freshness from the cilantro.

Since I was able to feed four with both recipes, each serving of low-carb Pad Thai came out to 3.25 grams of carbs, while each serving of pork fried cauliflower rice came out to 2.25 grams of carbs, for a total of 5.5 grams of carbs for the entire dinner.


Ingredients for the Pad Thai (serves 4)

• 2 packages of fettuccine-style shirataki noodles (boiled for 5 minutes, drained, and set aside)
• 1/2 package of firm tofu (pressed to drain)
• 1/2 c - 1 c olive oil
• 1 tbsp softened peanut butter
• 2 tbsp seafood stock (or chicken stock)
• 2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp white vinegar
• 1 tbsp gluten-free soy sauce
• 1 tsp sweetener
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• Cilantro
• 4 eggs 
• Lime

1. Start by heating the olive oil in a pan over medium high heat. Chop the drained tofu into bite sized blocks and fry them in the olive oil until they're golden brown, and then set them aside on a plate lined with a paper towel.
2. While frying the tofu, mix together in a small bowl the peanut butter, seafood stock, crushed red pepper, vinegar, soy sauce, and sweetener. Set the sauce aside.
3. Crank the pan up to high. Drain the oil until there is only about a tablespoon left. Fry the noodles in the oil for about 2 minutes. Throw in the garlic and let it fry for about a minute. Add in the reserved peanut butter sauce and tofu. Toss the mixture together. Garnish with cilantro
4. Divide the noodles into 4 servings. Scramble an egg with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add it to a hot pan, swirling to coat the bottom. When the egg has set, place a serving of the Pad Thai in the middle of the egg and use a spatula to wrap the egg around the noodles on all sides. Flip the pan onto a plate, like you would an omelette. Repeat this for the remaining servings. Serve with a slice of lime on the side.

Nutritional Info (for entire recipe)

Calories: 1663 calories

Total fat: 150 grams

Total carbs: 27 grams

Dietary fiber: 14 grams

Net carbs (entire recipe): 13 grams

Protein: 65 grams

Ingredients for the Pork Fried Rice (serves 4)

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 c - 3/4 c chopped leftover pork or raw bacon
• 1/4 c sliced onions 
• 2 c riced cauliflower
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1-2 tsp turmeric 
• Salt and pepper
• Cilantro

1. In a pan, heat about a tablespoon of olive oil on high heat. Add in the meat and onions and let them brown a bit. Toss in cauliflower, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Cook everything together for about 3 minutes, or until the cauliflower browns. 
2. Mix in the turmeric until the rice turns yellow. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with cilantro. 

Nutritional Info (for entire recipe)

Calories: 376 calories

Total fat: 26 grams

Total carbs: 15 grams

Dietary fiber: 4 grams

Net carbs (entire recipe): 9 grams

Protein: 15 grams