This recipe is a great alternative to your everyday rice dishes. It’s a high protein dish that you can cook in bulk for your week at work. Using classic fried rice principles but adapting it for a healthier look allows you to get the most from this dish. The nutrient dense vegetables and high fibre nuts create balance for your gut.
Allergens: Nuts, Soy
Chickpeas are pretty much the answer to any kitchen dilemma! Whatever you can think of they have the capacity to help with. They are a vegan fan favourite and that doesn't change with me. They are my favourite pulse and also my favourite vegan protein source (yes, even above tofu!). I decided I wanted to something completely different this time. I wanted to make a high protein and low carb dish for no other reason than I thought it'd be interesting.
The veg I used really gave this dish depth and allowed for many different textures. I've also added chestnuts and peanuts, which are traditional in a lot of South East Asian style dishes, to further add texture and balance. Then just to finish off with some finesse I topped with grounded almond flakes.
Serves 2-3
Ingredients
1 tsp Coconut Oil
2/3 Garlic Cloves, crushed and chopped
Half a Red Pepper, diced
Half a Courgette, diced
2/3 Small Green Chilli’s, chopped
1 tin of Chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and part blitzed
Handful of Sliced Chestnuts in water, quartered
80g Frozen Peas
3/4 tbsp Pad Thai Sauce
Handful of Spinach, washed
1tbsp Peanuts, chopped
1tbsp Ground/Flaked Almonds
Pad Thai Sauce:
40ml Water
30g Peanut Butter
25ml Soy Sauce
20g Agave Nectar
20g Molasses (or Coconut Sugar)
1/2 Lime, juiced
1tbsp Olive Oil
0.5tsp Chilli Flakes
Method
Blend all the Pad Thai ingredients together.
Add the chickpeas to a food processor and pulse to a rice like size. Next, prep all the vegetable and leave to one side.
Add the coconut oil to a stir fry pan pot and turn on the hob to a med-high heat.
Once the oil is hot, add the garlic, and stir quickly. Cook for about a minute before adding the peppers, courgette, and chillies. Add a pinch of sea salt and cook for a further 3 minutes.
Add the chickpeas and chestnuts. Cook for 5 mins. Stir occasionally.
Add the peas and stir in. Next, add the Pad Thai sauce coating the ingredients. Then turn down the heat (low-med) and cook for a further 5 mins. Stir occasionally.
Add the spinach, stir in and allow to wilt before serving.
Serve with crushed peanuts and ground/flaked almonds.
Notes: You can use any veg you like, I’ve just used high protein veg for the dish. Alternatively, you can water fry it, which is the same process but using water instead of oil.