Paleo Shrimp Pad Thai

I got this idea from a bunch of paleo pinterest posts. I'm a HUGE fan of thai food and it's something I'll definitely miss and crave if I can't find a good paleo substitute. Thanks to the internet, I have found a solution. I used THIS recipe for my first attempt - with minor adjustments. The only changes I will make for next time would be to add in diced jalapeño to the sautéed garlic, ginger and shallot and to up my chili sauce. I like it spicy!

prep work!

Ingredients

• 1 spaghetti squash, cut in half, innards removed.  (Mine was HUGGGGEEEE, I have mad leftovers)
• half a bag of cooked shrimp, thawed
• 2 shallots, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
• ***addition idea for next time**** 1/2 a jalapeño pepper, minced
• 1 large handful of bean sprouts
• 1 large handful of shredded carrots (buy a bag - it's way easier)
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten;
• 5 green onions, sliced
• Juice of 1 lime (maybe 2 - I love lime!)
• 2 tbsp.  coconut aminos
• 2 tbsp. honey
• 2 tbsp. chili sauce (HEAPING for me.. add to your own tastes)
• 2 tbsp. almond butter (i used crunchy raw almond butter)
• 3 tbsp. coconut oil
• 1/4 cup chopped cashews (I used raw, but any nut will do)
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Cholula to taste 

Alright - down to business.

1. Preheat your oven to 400 F.
2. Brush the inside flesh of the squash with 1 tbsp. of the melted coconut oil. Place both halves in the oven on a baking sheet, open side down, and roast for 40 min. Once done - set aside to cool. 
3. When ready, tear the flesh apart with a fork to get the spaghetti squash “noodles”. Put in bowl, set aside. 
4. In a small saucepan placed over low heat, warm up the lime juice, fish sauce, honey, chili sauce, and almond butter. Mix everything together in the pan until thick and smooth. Set aside. 
5. In a LARGE skillet, melt some coconut oil over a medium-high heat. Add the shrimp, cook for 1 to 2 minutes, and set aside.
6. Add the shallots, garlic, ginger, and jalapeño and sauté for two more minutes.
7. Add the bean sprouts and carrots, and cook for another minute.
8. Pour the eggs into the center of the skillet, scramble, and combine with the vegetables.
9. Add in the spaghetti squash, almond butter sauce and shrimp to the skillet and stir together. 
10. Garnish your dish with green onions, cilantro, and chopped nuts and season with salt, pepper and cholula. 
11. DIG IN. 

I had a lot of spaghetti squash because mine was HUGE. I didn't use it all and probably should have even used less because my pad thai was slightly bland. I needed more sauce and flavor. Next time I'll up the spices and it'll be way better. 

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If you're feeling fancy - pair this recipe with THESE thai classics:

• ​Veggie Spring Rolls with Almond Butter Dipping Sauce
• Tom Kha Gai Soup
• Thai Iced Tea
• Leonardo Dicaprio's The Beach on DVD or Stream