UPDATE: I revised this recipe to make it even healthier!!! You can see the new recipe here, but basically you just take out all the oil (yes, NO OIL) and add another 1/2 cup of chicken stock. That's it and you save about 500 calories of pure fat. Sounds good to me!!!
So this recipe was a bit of a challenge, but promised to be so amazing that I decided to dig in and make it a new family favorite. The first time, I made it according to the recipe but quickly discovered three big problems (at least for our family):
• First problem: My husband does not like soy sauce (at all). I know there are only 6 tablespoons called for in the original recipe but that was too much for him. Granted he was super nice and ate it anyway (I get sensitive about my cooking sometimes), but I knew that I had to find another ingredient to make it again. I decided to use hoisin sauce instead, and wow... I think it's better that way!
• Second problem: There was 3/4 cup of oil required in the original recipe and that not only equals about 1500 calories but about 150 grams of fat as well! Yikes. That was certainly not an okay amount of fat to add to our arteries (and my thighs). And with all pasta dishes we totally eat more than we should, and with all that oil it was really not a good idea. So I wanted to fiddle about and cut down on that (by a lot). My solution was to use 1/4 cup of olive oil and substitute the other 1/2 cup with chicken stock. Can I just say that this saves 1000 calories, 100 grams of fat... and you can't even taste a difference?
• Third problem: I had a topping issue. You were supposed to use carrots, green onions, fresh cilantro and crushed peanuts. Umm... didn't have any of that and even if I got it this once I never keep that in the house so how as it to be a family favorite? So I decided to rehydrate some onion powder and dried cilantro which worked out nicely. Then I bought tomato and carrot flavored pasta to help out with the carrot step. And then I just crushed up some of the almonds that I always keep in the cupboard for snacking. BINGO. Problem solved and still of so tasty!
So with all my little changes and fudges, here are the proportion I came up with that made it soy-sauce free, a whole lot lighter and very convenient. Hope you enjoy this as much as we do!
So this recipe was a bit of a challenge, but promised to be so amazing that I decided to dig in and make it a new family favorite. The first time, I made it according to the recipe but quickly discovered three big problems (at least for our family):
• First problem: My husband does not like soy sauce (at all). I know there are only 6 tablespoons called for in the original recipe but that was too much for him. Granted he was super nice and ate it anyway (I get sensitive about my cooking sometimes), but I knew that I had to find another ingredient to make it again. I decided to use hoisin sauce instead, and wow... I think it's better that way!
• Second problem: There was 3/4 cup of oil required in the original recipe and that not only equals about 1500 calories but about 150 grams of fat as well! Yikes. That was certainly not an okay amount of fat to add to our arteries (and my thighs). And with all pasta dishes we totally eat more than we should, and with all that oil it was really not a good idea. So I wanted to fiddle about and cut down on that (by a lot). My solution was to use 1/4 cup of olive oil and substitute the other 1/2 cup with chicken stock. Can I just say that this saves 1000 calories, 100 grams of fat... and you can't even taste a difference?
• Third problem: I had a topping issue. You were supposed to use carrots, green onions, fresh cilantro and crushed peanuts. Umm... didn't have any of that and even if I got it this once I never keep that in the house so how as it to be a family favorite? So I decided to rehydrate some onion powder and dried cilantro which worked out nicely. Then I bought tomato and carrot flavored pasta to help out with the carrot step. And then I just crushed up some of the almonds that I always keep in the cupboard for snacking. BINGO. Problem solved and still of so tasty!
So with all my little changes and fudges, here are the proportion I came up with that made it soy-sauce free, a whole lot lighter and very convenient. Hope you enjoy this as much as we do!
Spicy Thai Noodles
adapted from: A Small Snippet
• 1 box barilla piccolini mini farfalle with tomatoes and carrots
• 2 tablespoon dried cilantro
• 2 tablespoon onion powder
• 4 tablespoons crushed red pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 6 tablespoons honey
• 6 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 3 ounces crushed almonds
• 2 tablespoon dried cilantro
• 2 tablespoon onion powder
• 4 tablespoons crushed red pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 6 tablespoons honey
• 6 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 3 ounces crushed almonds
Preparation
• Cook pasta according to package directions and drain.
• Rehydrate your spices. Place cilantro and onion powder in a small bowl and add about 1/2 a cup of hot water. Stir and then let sit for at least 10 minutes.
• Place red pepper, olive oil and chicken stock in a small sauce pan. Use medium heat for about 5 minutes - stirring so it doesn't burn or stick.
• Strain red pepper flakes out of oil by placing a strainer in a small bowl and pouring in the mixture. Let the oil drain off for a few minutes to make sure you get it all.
• Mix honey, hoisin sauce, crushed almonds and rehydrated spices with the spicy oil and broth mixture.
• Add mixture to pasta and stir.
• Let pasta sit (in refrigerator) for at least 20 minutes to allow sauce to absorb.
• Let pasta sit (in refrigerator) for at least 20 minutes to allow sauce to absorb.
• Heat and serve.
Note: According to the box of pasta, this recipe makes 7 servings. But to be perfectly honest, you are going to have trouble not eating 1/2 the recipe in one sitting. So I will give you just a bit of nutrition information to help you decide how much you really want to eat. If you divide this recipe into 7 servings they come out to be about 420 calories each, which of course also means that if you eat 1/2 the recipe you will be eating about 1,500 calories. You decide, just don't blame me because it's so so so delicious!
Another Note: This makes a killer spicy pasta. I love it. My husband loves it. But if you are a little on the cautious side I would suggest using only 1 or 2 tablespoons of crushed red pepper in the oil and stock at the beginning. Okay, you have been warned... now go make it hot!
Hi Liz
ReplyDeletePardon my ignorance when it comes to cooking. This looks super yummy and I want to try and make it however, I don't have hoisin sause but I do have soy sauce and you said you used the H sauce for a sub. so I guess my question is if I used the soy sauce would I still use the same amount. (I feel like soy sauce can be over powering at times and sometimes make a dish too salty) I don't want to ruin the recipe. Lindsay K
Lindsay: you can use soy sauce for sure! I used it the first time and thought it was yummy (it was just not mutual at our house). You use the same amount (6 tablespoons). Also, I do want to warn you that this is really really hot. The recipe that I used to create my version only recommended using 1-2 tablespoons of crushed red pepper so you might want to start there and add more the next time if you want it hotter. Just don't want to ruin it for you! It is very very very yummy. You will have trouble not making it every night...
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