Pad Thai is delicious, and whether you’re making it for your parents, your friends who have just gotten home from the bar, or for yourself, it’s always good to minimize the sodium level and increase the amount of nutrients. This recipe serves around 4 and has been modified and tested to suit these preferences.

Ingredients: 

8 oz. Thai rice noodles (they’re slightly opaque and look like wider Linguine noodles)
1 cup large cooked and peeled shrimp
1 cup boneless, skinless chicken breast, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups bean sprouts
Low sodium soya sauce to taste (try and stay within 2 tbsp)
1 green pepper, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
½ cup coriander, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
½ cup roasted peanuts, chopped
1 lime
Extra virgin olive oil to stir fry

1.) Rice noodles vary in their cooking instructions, but typically, they can be added to boiling water for 5 minutes, or soaked in warm water for 15. It’s a matter of preference. Keep an eye on these noodles, as you don’t want to overcook them and want them to be slightly al dente.

2.) On one skillet, add the shrimp and stir in olive oil and chopped garlic. Cover.

3.) On another skillet, add chopped chicken and stir in olive oil and garlic. Cover.

4.) While you wait for them to cook, chop green pepper, red pepper, coriander, and green onions. Set aside in bowls.

5.) Squeeze juice out of lime and set aside in bowl.

6.) Drain rice noodles, and add them to large pot. Mix in vegetables, chicken, and shrimp. Add a small amount of soya sauce, being mindful that it remains under 2 tbsp.

7.) Add bean sprouts and chopped peanuts. Or, to add a classy Gwyneth Paltrow-esque touch, garnish plates with peanuts at the very end.

-@kristencochrane