I have somewhat of a love/hate relationship with peanut butter. I love to dip my spoon into the jar more times than I can count on two hands, but my waistline hates me for it. It’s a tough life I tell ya.
I haven’t had a jar of PB in my house in months, sometimes when I look in the mirror I don’t even know who I am anymore. Instead, I’ve been embracing almond butter in all its nutty glory. I have a bit more self control when it comes to the AB variety, but just a skosh.
To honor my “just a little bit” mindset with nut butters lately, I made myself an Asian themed meal – all in one pot. Just a little bit of flavor, and just a little bit of almond butter. Full of vegetables, vegan, AND gluten free, but no one would ever notice the lack of meat or milk.
Before cooking.
Pad Thai has always been a favorite of mine, but I don’t tend to like restaurant versions because they are much too high in sodium. I hesitate to call this Pad Thai at all though because the nutty flavor is much too mild (I did up the amount in this recipe after making it.)
Instead I’ve channeled my inner child and put my rhyming skills to good use. Veggies-Spice-Rice…because all three are abundant here.
I’ve seen these “one pot wonder” meals around the interwebs, but I’d never attempted to make one. I don’t know what took me so long because something this easy should be done over and over again.
One Pot Veggies Spice and Rice
Ingredients
- 16 oz rice noodles
- 6 cups water
- 3-4 large cloves of garlic, sliced thin
- 1 tblsp tamarind paste
- 1 tblsp soy sauce (I used two of the sample packs)
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes, or cayenne pepper
- 2 inches of a ginger root, cut in 1/4 in pieces
- 1 large carrot cut into large strips
- 1 red bell pepper cut into strips
- 4 green onions cut in half, and then into 2 inch pieces
- 3/4 cup sliced almonds
- 1/4 or 1/3 cup almond butter (depending how nutty you want it)
Optional addition: 1 med/large jalapeno WITH seeds for extra spice.
For topping at the end of cooking
- cilantro
- juice from 2 limes
Optional topping (which I highly suggest): dry roasted edamame for an extra protein boost. However much you desire per serving.
Directions
- Place everything except the cilantro and lime juice into a large stockpot. Cover and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and let simmer to cook for about 10 minutes. Stir the mix every couple minutes to avoid any sticking.
- Once liquid is evaporated to your liking remove from heat.
- If you like salt and pepper season to taste. I didn’t add any.
- If you want to, remove slices of ginger. I left mine in because I love the sharpness of ginger.
- Stir in cilantro, as much as you feel is needed, and juice from the limes. I also topped my bowl with more cilantro.
After cooking.
Notes: I used all water in this because I like “mild” flavors. If you want to use vegetable broth instead use 5 1/2 cups of broth and 1/2 cup water. The tamarind paste helps give this a sweet/sour flavor.
Prepping the veggies took the most time, but even this was a quick process. The entire meal was smooth and fast. I served this over a bed of steamed kale, because I always need more green.
I find great joy in taking the extra time to make something like this. It was a nice break from my usual “quinoa and veggie” mix.
Behind the scenes cell phone shot.
Q: Do you ever find yourself dipping the spoon one too many times in the nut butter jar? I already know the answer for most of you….
Blissfulbritt 
47 thoughts on “One Pot Veggies Spice and Rice (Noodles)”
thefaithfulrunner
This looks delicious! I, too, am guilty of dipping the spoon too many times… No matter how many times I tell myself “only one more spoonful! Haha.
Amy @ A Desert Girl
Oh. my. deliciousness. This looks so good. I love love love rice noodles but I tend to forget about them. Thanks for the reminder. I definitely like a spoonful of PB every so often. So decadent and a little naughty.
Shawna
first of all, this looks amaze. secondly, i absolutely am with you on the pb thing and cannot keep it in my house either. i can’t even control myself around it.
Life After Swimming
Peanut butter and I have that love/hate as well. That looks amazing!!
Megan
OHH NUT BUTTER. It get’s me every time. This looks awesome. I needed an idea to use up some veggies. I may rock something like this for dinner tonight. Great recipe Britt!
Lauren
This seriously sounds phenomenal! Also – I thought of last night as I took a scoop of PB to the face. I have Smucker’s Natural with HONEY and it’s a serious danger zone!
freedomfoodjournal
I am so making this! I’m loving your photography too 🙂
Brittany
Thank you!!
karla @ finding my fit
brittany you are a lifesaver!! i have been craving pad thai for weeks now. there’s an amazing authentic thai place in town but I don’t want to spend $15 dollars on it cause I’m a cheap gal. But this—I am SO making when I move and am settled in my new place. Swoon.
Nut butters-who actually stops at one scoop?
Food, Booze, & Baggage
Yes, I’m so bad about that…P finds it to be weird, that I eat PB straight from the jar but it is SO good. This looks like an interesting and easy dish to try!
lucie
Your post always make me smile Brittany! Ive never been a fan of peanut butter – I wished I was! I don’t like that tacky (stuck at the top of your mouth) texture, bleurghghghghghg, not for me!
Brittany
Consider yourself lucky!! I think I’ve found a balance in the world of nut butters, it’s been weeks without and crazy consumption! KNOCK ON WOOD!
kathy@vodka and soda
your posts always make me hungry and i just stuffed my food hole with rather boring food. this looks SO good!
Meghan@CleanEatsFastFeets
I could get lost in these pictures. I love all the veggies, the colors, the noodles.
I have a bedroom all to myself at Blend. I like it that way, although if would make an exception for you. Show up and I’ll smuggle you in.
Lauren @ ihadabiglunch
Your photography elevates these recipes so much, which is tough because they’re always so beautiful as is. Seriously…such creativity. You should write a book!
Brittany
You speak kind words my friend!! 🙂
Alisha's Appetite
ommmggggg this looks AMAZING! I love thai food but it’s always a lot of work to make…this however doesn’t have a lot of steps. OBVS. Great pics, too!
Amanda @ .running with spoons.
You know I love you for embracing the almond butter. Because I embrace the almond butter. Every day. Every way. Yes it’s ridiculously hard to resist, but it hurts so good. And have you ever tried adding a sunflower seed butter to a dish like this. To.die.for.
Change of Pace
SOOO good!!! I can’t wait to try this!!
I LOVE pad thai, so if this is even remotely close, I can’t wait to try it!
Matt @ Runner Savvy
Looks delicious!
GiGi Eats Celebrities
I find myself dipping the spoon into something else a little too much.
Uhh. Hmmm..
The Vegan 8
This looks amazingly delicious and a meal that my hubby would go bonkers for! All flavors he loves!! I love how pretty and colorful the dish is too!
jessielovestorun
For a meatless meal, this looks delicious. I’m petty sure Joshua would even go crazy for it. Which says a lot since that guy loves his chicken! 🙂
alex@vegginout
Hi Brittany!! I have missed you so much! I hope you are doing excellent!
I love my veggies too so this dish looks like absolute heaven. The ginger and nut butter combination is also a favorite of mine, and I can’t help to imagine how even more awesome this dish would be with the addition of roasted sweet potato! But then again I could add sweet potato to anything. 😉
Love,
A fellow nut butter addict.
Khushboo Thadani (@KhushbooThadani)
One pot means less cleaning which means I am making this ASAP! I feel you on the nut butter addiction. I should probably switch to cashew butter seeing as my self-control over peanut & almond butter is close to nada!
Davida @The Healthy Maven
rhetorical question…you obvs know the answer to that one.
Natalie @ The Ravenous Mommy
I just made a pad thai with spaghetti squash that came out great! I gotta put that recipe up soon!
Hannah
Aaah this looks delicious! I go through a ton of peanut butter. Like…a crazy amount. I even considered a Costco membership because the size and price of their organic peanut butter is amazing. To be fair, I don’t eat a ton of it at a time. I just eat a normal amount often.
Brittany
I’ve purchased the Costco PB many, many times. I don’t want to talk about it….
Missy
GORGEOUS.
And delicious.
PS- Peanut butter misses you. I’ll tell it you say Hello.
Brittany
Per usual, your comment made me laugh out loud. I do hope PB said hello back, no hard feelings right PB!?
apartmentwife
i have a nearly identical relationship with peanut putter – i can’t be trusted! the good news, however, is that justin’s peanut butter packets keeps me from spooning the nutty goodness all night long (http://justins.com/item/maple-almond-butter-80-cal-pack/) Quick fact: my BFF brings a jar of peanut butter and a spoon to parties when she knows it’s going to be a long night – quick way to get some sugar and absorb whatever she’s imbibing 🙂
Katherine
Oh my goodness this looks AMAZING!
And our relationship with peanut butter is the same. I love it just a little too much…
Amalia
I always read your post when I get it in the email and then re-read it when I go through my bloglovin’ feed… I HAVE TO TRY THIS! Maybe tomorrow for lunch or even Saturday (a day off!)
Amy
Oh goodness, PB… I generally can stick to only dipping a spoon in the jar once a day and only scooping out a teaspoon. (I use a tiny dessert spoon; that’s the best way for me to exercise self-control!) But I just discovered TJ’s dark chocolate peanut butter cups, and I’ve consumed way more than I care to count lately… I need to try more one-pot dinners; it sounds like they’re yummy, healthy & easy — a dream come true!
Jayda
Oh my goodness, this looks so delicious!! Agreed about restaurant pad thai…too salty every time. And I can eat peanut butter like nobody’s business, but I’ve been alternating almond and sunflower butters lately, and those I can resist easier haha.
P
Looks so delicious and healthy :D!
Ashley
I love Pad Thai-style dishes! I wish most restaurant versions were vegan-friendly though — they always seem to include fish sauce or eggs. I need to make this with the kelp noodles I have in my fridge!
My nut butter obsession is with coconut butter. I guess not technically a nut, but that stuff goes on everything. Unfortunately it’s even more $$$ than PB or AB so I have to show some restraint…
allieksmith
This looks so bright and fresh and just delicious. I honestly wouldn’t have noticed it was gluten free or vegan if you hadn’t mentioned it! I also love PB… I have tried AB in the past but was “eh” about it. I think I need to re-try it soon!
Rach @ This Italian Family
Can I come to dinner?! This looks delicious!
Melanie
I’ve seen a lot of the “One Pot Wonder” dishes on the internet too, but haven’t tried any of them. Yours looks phenomenal! I love peanut butter too, but I don’t usually eat it plain. I like to add it to everything though!
Cassy
I have that same love/hate relationship with almond butter and coconut butter :(…but, let’s be honest, it’s more love than hate.
Melissa @ Al Forno Mementos
mmmm easy peasy meals! Love it! 🙂
Christina Does It All
You need to stop taking such wonderful pictures of such amazing food or I might just eat my computer and it will be all your fault. That is all.
Mary
This looks great!
I think I might have ODed on peanut butter several months ago and although I still love it, I no longer scoop a spoonful out every time I pass the kitchen cupboard. This is the perfect relationship and I’ve abused this to the max by stocking up with as many nut butters in my cupboard as I can find! Plenty of choice! 🙂
Luv What You Do
Yum! This looks so simple and delish!
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