Spaghetti Squash Beef Pad Thai
Spaghetti squash beef pad thai is a quick, simple weeknight dinner that will be sure to please your palate! Paleo option, gluten free, low FODMAP. Today's post for spaghetti squash beef pad thai is a link-up to the Recipe Redux community. This month the theme was to discuss and create budget friendly recipes.
But here's the thing. I am not exactly sure this is budget friendly...
Why you ask? Because I would rather pay big bucks knowing that my food is sourced and/or created in a way that I believe in.
I have strong food convictions. One of those being that if I am to eat meat, like red meat, I want to be local and organic ideally, but most importantly grass finished and pasture raised. When the meat you eat is fed a proper diet of ONLY grass it has many health benefits like a better omega 3 to omega 6 fatty acid ratio, vitamins like vitamin A and K2 and contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA).
So I pay more for my meat. And while I don't know how this meal breaks down budget wise, I can give you some tips on how to shop budget savvy while still maintaining your food convinctions. I typically buy my grass fed beef from a health food store here in St Pete (Rollin' Oats). Aldi and Trader Joe's also have great prices on it too.
Other than beef, these days if and when I can I buy organic produce and organic peanut or almond butter (the other ingredients in this recipe). To keep inflammation reduced and to a minimum in my diet (something I need right now), this is important to me.
To be honest with you, even though my food (like pastured raised meat, organic produce and raw dairy) costs more these days, I still seem to be right on point with my monthly grocery budget. I'm not exactly sure why, but my guess is because even though our food is much more expensive, it contains WAY more nutrition including a lot more fat. Everything these days I purchase for my husband and I is full fat, including dairy and meat. The food I eat provides more nourishment through more nutrients like vitamins and minerals but also more fat, so I just haven't need as MUCH food and snacks as I used to because what I am eating is providing better nourishment.
Spaghetti Squash Beef Pad Thai
Serves: 4
Ingredients
Ingredients:
1 whole spaghetti squash, pre-cooked
1/2 Tablespoon coconut oil
1 cup broccoli, roughly chopped*
½ red bell pepper, sliced thinly
1 carrot, diced
1 lb cooked grass fed beef
5 T almond butter or natural peanut butter
4 T rice wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon raw sugar
1 teaspoon sriracha (or more if you prefer spicy)
½ teaspoon grated ginger
Juice of ½ lime
Instructions
In a large saute pan or wok on medium high heat, add coconut oil to cover the pan. Add the broccoli, bell pepper and carrots and cook until slightly tender, ~5-7 minutes.
While the vegetables cook, mix together your peanut or almond butter sauce. In a small bowl, mix together the peanut butter (or almond butter) through lime. It may help to heat the mixture for ~15 seconds in the microwave to help combine. Once thoroughly mixed, set aside.
Once the vegetable become slightly tender, add the already cooked beef and spaghetti squash. Mix to combine and cook for another five minutes.
Add the sauce to the pan, and stir to combine and enjoy! Feel free to top with more sriracha, green onions or a slice of lime.
Notes
*Broccoli is considered low FODMAP in small portions. A serving of this recipe contains approximately 1/4 cup of broccoli.[br]I recommend cooking the spaghetti squash and beef as part of your weekly food prep in order to save time on the weeknight.
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Tell me: What food convictions do you have? Are there certain things that are especially important for you?
