Home ยป Spicy Thai Noodles with Shrimp + Weekly Menu

Spicy Thai Noodles with Shrimp + Weekly Menu

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Being back on the campus of the University of Illinois brings back so many memories. Without a doubt, college was the best 4 years of my life. At least so far. In college I met great friends, joined a sorority full of great women, played ice-hockey, pursued my dream of becoming a dietitian…and met Mr. Prevention.

A lot has changed about campus — there are skyscraper-like apartments now and the rec center got completely redone. They’re rebuilding the “cool” dorms (“The Sick Pack”). My favorite bar is out of business. Green Street (the main drag) has all sorts of new restaurants and businesses. A lot looks the same…but a lot looks different.

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We went to the Illinois vs. Nebraska game last night and it was a back-and-forth score with no one really pulling ahead by more than just a few points. It’s still surprising to me that I love basketball as much as I do — the sport never interested me much before dating Mr. Prevention. He was a huge fan and after years of season tickets, he had moved his way to floor seats around the time we started dating. A few times, I got to join him for the game.

Yesterday? We were the second row from the very, very top. Our seats were pretty horrific but it was still a blast to be in the building for senior day and the last Illini home game this season.

Oh, and they won. Did I mention that? 🙂

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After the game, we returned home to wear out the dogs and as I edited these pictures in preparation of this post, the group was debating where to go to dinner. The pictures stimulated my hunger as this meal was memorable…memorable indeed.

Almost as memorable as my 4 splendid years of college. Almost.

But really, this one is a must-make. Plus, it’s super simple and very easy to adapt to your liking!

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Spicy Thai Noodles with Shrimp adapted from A Small Snippet

14 oz whole wheat linguine, fettuccine, or spaghetti
1 1/2 Tbsp* crushed red pepper flakes
1/3 cup toasted sesame oil
5 Tbsp honey
6 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 lbs raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/3 cup cilantro, minced
1/2 cup unsalted peanuts

Directions:

Heat 4+ quarts of water in a large pot over high heat. Once boiling, add pasta and cook until al dente, about 10-14 minutes. Drain and keep hot.

Meanwhile, combine the crushed red pepper and oil in a small sauce pan. Heat the oil over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes. With a colander, strain out the crushed red pepper, reserving the oil. To the oil, add the honey and soy sauce; whisk to combine. Add raw shrimp to sauce while pasta finished cooking.

In the pot used to cook the pasta, pour in the shrimp and sauce. Over medium-high heat, cook the shrimp until pink and curled, about 5 minutes. Add the hot pasta and using tongs, cook the pasta and shrimp for an additional 2-3 minutes to absorb the sauce. Remove from heat and top noodles with green onion, cilantro, and peanuts. Serve hot.

*use more or less crushed red pepper depending on your heat preference.

Yield: 7 servings (about 1 1/3 cups each)

Nutrition Information (per serving): 494 calories; 17.3 g. fat; 129 mg. cholesterol; 720 mg. sodium; 54.0 g. carbohydrate; 4.9 g. fiber; 32.0 g. protein; 14.9 g. sugar

Result: We adored this meal…a sure favorite to make again! I love how simple the ingredients are and how quick the meal comes together. The original recipe called for more oil, more honey, and no protein. The shrimp were the perfect addition to make this a balanced meal. Adjust the heat to your liking — 1 1/2 tablespoons of crushed red pepper gave this some heat, but not too much at all since it is only used to flavor the oil and the honey cuts the spice even more. Make this – you’ll love it!

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 Weekly Menu: March 3 – March 7th

Another week almost here…better enjoy today 😉

Be well,

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14 Comments

  1. Andrea@WellnessNotes
    March 3, 2013 / 8:19 am

    The noodles look & sound great! And I love the short ingredient list! ๐Ÿ™‚

    Great meals planned!

  2. themilkmanswife
    March 3, 2013 / 8:37 am

    Nicole, I gotta know…what was your favorite bar that went out of business?? I hope it’s not my favorite bar because I will seriously cry. LOL. I agree with you about how different campus is. It always throws me for a loop when we go down there. Glad you got to see an Illini win (always a plus!) and the noodles looks great!

    • Nicole, RD
      Author
      March 3, 2013 / 8:56 am

      CO’s…so sad, I know! ๐Ÿ™‚ What was yours? ๐Ÿ™‚

      • themilkmanswife
        March 3, 2013 / 6:19 pm

        No more CO’s??! So sad! My favorite was Brothers!

  3. mjskit
    March 3, 2013 / 1:11 pm

    I think any sports event is better live and of course, much more fun when you go with someone whose company you enjoy. ๐Ÿ™‚ The spicy noodle dish looks delicious!! I love all of the flavors from the sesame oil to the cilantro. This is a keeper. Thanks so much for the shoutout! I hope you enjoyed the waffles! They are our favorite that’s for sure. Have a wonderful Sunday.

  4. katie
    March 4, 2013 / 12:53 am

    Spicy shrimp and noodle…delish!

  5. Eileen Hall
    March 4, 2013 / 9:24 am

    Thai food has always been known for its spicyness. Their dishes always has some sort of spice mixed in it which makes it delicious. So excited to try another sumptuous dish.

  6. Dianne
    March 4, 2013 / 10:14 am

    So glad to hear you had such a nice visit to C-U. Did I ever tell you that is my hometown? My grandparents house was on 3rd and Green, behind the Dairy Queen!! So many wonderful memories. I really miss it there even though my two daughters still live there we don’t get back there often.

    Loved the recipe, I plan on making it soon. Since you posted it I know I can eat it on my diabetic diet. ๐Ÿ™‚

    • Nicole, RD
      Author
      March 4, 2013 / 10:18 am

      Hi Dianne! What a small world ๐Ÿ™‚ I know a lot of people from the CU area read my blog, so I love to be able to travel there and reference the area and memories of my time there!

  7. Biz
    March 4, 2013 / 2:18 pm

    It’s funny, after I left SIU, I’ve never stepped back on campus once! Glad you had fun at the game, even if the seats were crappy!

    And that dish looks amazeballs!

  8. Kara
    March 4, 2013 / 6:54 pm

    Nicole-
    I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoy your blog. I stumbled across it today looking for vegetarian and seafood recipes. I also graduated from U of I last year in Athletic Training! Keep up the good work! I-L-L!

    • Nicole, RD
      Author
      March 4, 2013 / 10:22 pm

      Kara: Thanks so much! Really appreciate your sweet comment ๐Ÿ™‚ And… -INI!!!

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