Pad Thai Fever

Guten Tag!

I've had an uneventful week in Germany - decided to kick my butt into gear and plunge head first into my distance training again. I was very good this week! I ran every other day, even when it was raining outside! I would sit there and think to myself, "It's raining outside, I'm tired, I can always run tomorrow." Then I would realize that if I ran that day, I WOULDN'T have to run the next day! So I stuck to my schedule and running this morning for 4 miles was a cake walk (or run?) except for the mountain my dad decided to run me up. Just forces me to build a nicer butt. ;)

So I always want to eat the right kind of recovery food after a tough exercise like that. I know I need to mix carbohydrates and protein in order to build those muscles, but I get bored with protein powder (I think it tastes gross) and plain jane chicken breasts.

Running Times gives me awesome guidelines - 10-20 g of protein is the optimal range in a 3:1 or 4:1 carb:protein ratio. Consuming that within 30 minutes is when it's recommended, so it's gotta be a quick fix. I hate protein shakes... so I've taken to making some shrimp pad thai. Much more exciting to my taste buds and definitely gives me my fix. Here's what you need to make it!

Shrimp Pad Thai

• 1-2 oz. uncooked whole rice noodles or whole grain thin spaghetti
• 4 oz of small shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 Tbsp of olive oil
• 1/2 onion chopped
• 1 garlic clove, smashed with knife but not minced
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3/4 c. coleslaw mix (opt)
• 4 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/3 c. white whine vinegar or rice vinegar
• up to 1/4 c. sugar
• 3 Tbsp. reduced sodium soy sauce
• Chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Cook noodles according to package directions. 

In a large nonstick skillet or wok, stir-fry shrimp in oil until pink; remove and set aside. Add garlic to oil and let sit for 1 min. Add chopped onion in center of pan. Make a well in the center of the onion pile and add egg in slowly. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes or until egg is pretty well set. Add coleslaw, green onions, vinegar, sugar, and soy sauce and heat through. 

Return shrimp to the pan and heat through. Then finally add the noodles into the pan and stir fry for 2-3 minutes more, tossing throughout. Sprinkle cilantro on top and enjoy!

That gives you at least 23 grams of protein with just the shrimp. Of course, you can take some out or add more in if you want. 

Hopefully next week won't be so boring. I've literally searched for rental houses the entire week. Which reminds me. I fell in love with this beautiful house in Odenton, MD and apparently eight other people did too. I have high hopes, but we'll see what they say when they read I'm still a student for six more measly months.... All I want is a big, beautiful kitchen to make stuff in! A BBK!!!

Keep your fingers crossed tiny follower group. :) I will for sure take tons of pictures of that if I get it. I'm sure Lou-burger (my dog) would be in doggie heaven on earth if she was able to live there.

She just wants to play.. and cuddle.