I don’t know about where you live, but it is hot, hot, hot here!
After making this pad thai for lunch today my husband stated he was “too hot to eat.” Oh well man, you missed out! Little did he know that eating spicy foods actually cools you down!
Ever wonder why people who live in the hottest areas of the world have the spiciest cuisine? (Think India, Caribbean, Central & South America) When eaten, spicy foods increase circulation, which induces sweat primarily in the face. This is known as gustatory facial sweating or as my friends and I like to call it “sweaty face.” Sweating is a regulatory system that cools us down! Thus, spicy foods help cool us down! Drinking cold drinks or eating cold foods is a temporary fix! The quick cool down you get from gulping ice water drops our internal temperature, which makes our bodies turn up the heat and ultimately we end up feeling even hotter after that cool drink is gone!
Try this spicy recipe to cool you down today!
This pad thai infuses spicy chili oil, crunch carrots and cruciferous kale for a nutritious meal!
Recipe adapted from Vegetarian Times
- ½ pound noodles (I used thick lo mein noodles, but you can use gluten free noodles if you'd like!)
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- ¼ cup Bragg's Amino Acids or Tamari
- ¼ cup toasted sesame seed oil
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 teaspoons hot chili oil
- ½ teaspoon ginger, minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup tofu, cubed
- 1 cup carrots, julienned
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 1 small bunch kale, chopped
- 8 scallions, chopped
- lime wedges
- fresh cilantro
- peanuts
- Cook noodles as directed and set aside. (If needed, drizzle with olive oil to prevent sticking)
- In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, Bragg's, sesame seed oil, brown sugar, chili oil and ginger. Set sauce aside.
- In a large wok, add olive oil over medium high heat. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant. Add tofu and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add carrots, bean sprouts, kale and scallions. Stir-fry until the vegetables are tender yet crisp. Add sauce and noodles, toss to coat.
- Garnish with lime, cilantro, peanuts and enjoy!
While my husband missed out on lunch, I was sitting cool as a cucumber (ok, maybe I had sweaty face!) enjoying this delicious meal!
