I’m not a huge fan of cookbooks. Don’t get me wrong. I didn’t say all cookbooks. It’s just that the ones I’ve owned in the past are used for a few weeks and then stored away on a bookshelf or in a kitchen cabinet and inevitably collect dust. Maybe it’s just me.
Very recently, I made the decision to give cookbooks another try – well, one special cookbook in particular, Peas and Thank You by Sarah Matheny, the writer behind the Peas and Thank You blog. Mama Pea’s blog is so fun to read as she does a great job of interweaving hilarious stories about her family into almost every single post. You almost feel like you’re a part of the family! I love it!
With a special member of my family visiting me this week, I decided to make a slightly modified Mama Pea recipe from the cookbook. It was only fitting! And the winner was…Vegetarian Pad Thai!
And yes, in case you’re wondering, those are sticky notes sticking out of the book – there are just so many recipes I want to try!
I just want to mention that my version of this dish isn’t an exact copy of Mama Pea’s. I switched up the veggies based on what I had lying around; I didn’t use rice noodles because I couldn’t find them at the grocery store and didn’t feel like asking one of the [rude] employees to help me; and I added a couple of spices.
Vegetarian Pad Thai
Adapted from the Peas and Thank You Cookbook
Marinade:
3 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/3 cup warm water
3 tablespoons raw cane sugar
Pad Thai:
1 package extra firm tofu, drained, pressed, and cut into 8-10 rectangular pieces
8 ounces whole wheat angel hair pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small sweet onion, cut in half and sliced thin
1 small zucchini, cut into thin strips
1 small red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 small yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 small orange red pepper, cut into thin strips
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
*Crushed peanuts for garnish
1. Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a baking dish. Place the pressed tofu in the marinade and let sit for at least 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the broiler.
3. Place the pieces of tofu on the baking sheet (reserve the marinade) and broil for about 6 minutes on each side. Cut the tofu into smaller pieces and set aside.
4. Prepare the pasta according to package directions.
5. Heat oil in a large skillet or pan. Sauté garlic for a few minutes until light brown. Add the onions and sauté for a couple more minutes. Add the zucchini and peppers and sauté for a few more minutes. Season with ground ginger, sea salt, and crushed red pepper. Mix until combined.
5. Add sauce and drained pasta to the vegetables, mix until everything is well coated with the sauce.
6. Finally, add the tofu back into the skillet and toss to combine.
7. Enjoy!
My oh my…this was delicious! I’m pretty sure I will be making this again the next time I head home to Atlanta (per my dad’s request).
And our post dinner treat may or may not have included some Love Grown Granola…
What’s your go to blog for recipes? Have you tried any of Mama Pea’s recipes?
Definitely want to try that recipe. I love Mama Pea and I love pad thai!
That looks delicious! I love pad thai, but struggle to find non-shrimp versions. Do you think I could sub tomato paste for the ketchup? I don’t eat ketchup, so it’s not something I keep in the house… yet I do keep hosin just laying around…. weird, I know… 🙂
I think it’d be fine with tomato paste…just keep tasting to make sure it has that tart, lemony taste!
I will defo be trying that as I LOVE pad thai. Yours totally looks like something out of a restaurant!
Mmm… sounds delicious! I love Jessica @ How Sweat Eats and Ree @ The Pioneer Woman! They are both fabulous for recipes. 🙂
I can’t wait to get her book, every recipe in it looks fantastic.
This looks so delicious! I really need to order Mama Pea’s book, huh? 🙂
It’s awesome!
ooh this recipe looks fabulous! I have got to go hunt down her cookbook soon. Its a hot commodity =)
mmm I love Pad Thai. I will definitely have to give this a try. Rice noodles are tough to cook anyways, they always get a little mushy (in my opinion) so you probably did yourself a favor 🙂
Ahh good to know…I was getting annoyed that I couldn’t find them…
This looks delicious! I feel like such a bad blogger because I’ve never tried any of Mama Pea’s recipes. I’ve been dying to try out her Mmm sauce though!