June 13, 2016
My twin eight-year-old boys, River and Terran Greenfield, have been helping out in the kitchen since they were two years old.
They began by simply helping Jessa with planting and picking herbs and vegetables, washing, preparing and identifying ingredients. But now, their passion for preparing delicious food has grown into a deep love of getting into the kitchen all by themselves and cooking full meals, from making their own fancy breakfasts before school to cooking complex multi-course dinners inspired by Junior Masterchef (the only TV show I’ve ever seen them watch other than Shark Tank).
That’s why, two weeks ago at PaleoFX in Austin, they stepped up to the task of teaching others the skills they have learned in the kitchen via a live demonstration of a favorite dish they learned to cook in Thailand…
…a dish their tiny, creative minds modified to be much healthier and lower carbohydrate than the original Pad Thai. Possibly by observing the strange habits, biohacks and odd cookbooks and superfoods owned by yours truly, they came up with a fusion of two unique ingredients – sustainable insect-based cricket protein and shirataki Japanese yam noodles.
And now, their strange but healthy recipe is yours. Bon appetit.
Cricket Shirataki Pad Thai Introduction
The recipe you’re about to discover is based on two unique components, the first of which is shirataki noodles, which are made from a Japanese yam called konjuc or elephant yam. The end product of creating noodles from this yam is 97% water and 3% fiber, all in the form of a viscous, edible and surprisingly tasty noodle. The highly soluble fiber contained in these noodles is known as “glucomannan”. According to a study review by University of Connecticut researchers, glucomannan can help lower LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting blood sugar, and even body weight, and scientists in Thailand found that just a single gram of this stuff can significantly slow the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, and assist with gut peristalsis.
The second unique ingredient is organic whole roasted crickets (when you click on that link, you can use 10% discount code “BenG”). Edible insects are a rich source of protein, iron and micronutrients, and compared to traditional livestock, insects require drastically less feed to convert to the same amount of protein you get from these bigger animals. Insects require far less farmland, and the amounts of water they consume and greenhouse gases they emit are orders of magnitude lower than bigger animals.
Or, as River and Terran like to say “crickets don’t fart like cows do”.
The final flavor result of the unique combination of shirataki and crickets, fused with traditional Pad Thai ingredients and a touch of Japan, is going to delight your tastebuds knock your socks off! Enjoy.
Cricket Shirataki Pad Thai Recipe
Full Ingredient List (feeds 2-3 people, so scale accordingly):
-1/4 cup raw honey
-1/4 cup white vinegar
-2 tablespoons tamarind paste
-3 cloves minced garlic
-1/8 cup fish sauce
-3 packages of Miracle Noodles Shirataki Fettucini. Prepare noodles exactly according to packaging.
-Half head of green cabbage, finely shredded
-4-6 whole carrots julienned
-1 cup mung beans
-1 bunch of green onions chopped into small rounds
-1/4 cup avocado oil
-1/4 cup roasted crickets
-3 eggs, beaten
-1/4 cup cashews chopped
-2 tablespoons paprika
Sauce Instructions:
-1/4 cup raw honey
-1/4 cup white vinegar
-2 tablespoons tamarind paste
-3 cloves minced garlic
-1/8 cup fish sauce
Combine all these ingredients into a sauce pan. Heat all the ingredients on medium for about two to three minutes, but do not allow the sauce to get to a boil.
Noodle Instructions:
Easy. Rip open three packages of Miracle Noodles Shirataki Fettucini. Prepare noodles exactly according to packaging, which basically just involves rinsing for 15-20 seconds. Yeah, that simple.
Pad Thai Instructions:
In a wok or large frying pan, warm oil over medium heat. Add the crickets and sauté them for 3 minutes. Push the crickets to the side of the wok, creating a “well”. Pour in beaten eggs and allow them to scramble in the well. Once eggs are scrambled (2-3 minutes), add in the sauce and the noodle and allow to cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add in half the the cabbage and carrots. Allow all the ingredients to fry for another 3 minutes. Add in the paprika and stir until combined (this will thicken the sauce).
Remove the wok from the heat and toss in the green onions and mung beans. Use the leftover cabbage and carrots as a garnish and a variation in texture (texture of cooked veggies combined with crunch raw veggies). Finally sprinkle the dish with cashews and serve!
Crickets & Miracle Noodle Notes
For this particular recipe, we chose “Aketta” crickets (Aketta as in Acheta domesticus, the name of the particular cricket they grow), straight out of Austin, Texas. Not all crickets are equal, and many are laden with pesticides, but these particular crickets eat USDA certified organic feed, live in a clean, healthy environment, are processed in a gluten-free certified organic kitchen, and grown on a small, sustainable farm.
Aketta lightly roasts their crickets to bring out their natural nutty, earthy flavors, making these whole roasted crickets taste similar to sunflower seeds. Aketta also makes a cricket flour, which has a deep, earthy, umami flavor with hints of raw cocoa, and can be used a protein-rich substitute for wheat, almond flour, coconut flour, etc.
So this stuff is the gold standard of crickets from the industry leader in edible insect products. You can top your salad or soup with their whole roasted crickets, just like you would with seeds or nuts. You can use them instead of meat in your tacos, wraps or on top of your pizza. You can toss them with your favorite herbs, spices or rubs and eat them as a snack.
As for the Aketta cricket protein powder? Substitute ¼ of your standard flour with cricket flour when you make your favorite baked goods to add a protein boost. Add them to soups and stews as a thickener. Mix it in with your morning smoothie for the protein boost you need to keep going all day.
Check out my Instagram page for some other tasty examples of how I've been using the crickets, and use 10% discount code BenG at Aketta crickets to save on any order.
As for the Miracle Noodles, I've got a whole separate article for you on those. It's called “How To Biohack Your Pasta” and you can read it here, where you'll also find a discount on Miracle Noodles.
Summary
So what do you think?
Do you plan on trying this recipe, or teaching it to your kids?
Do you have questions, comments or feedback about crickets, shirataki noodles or anything else from this recipe? Leave your thoughts below, and River, Terran or I will reply!
Finally, you can click here to access any and all of the PaleoFX conference videos or you can click here to join the Inner Circle, where you can watch the full video of River and Terran preparing this dish.
Well, I’m not overly surprised to read this! I’ll definitely add this as a recipe to try. I’ve never tried crickets before, but I have a feeling that, with the strong flavoring of this recipe, the crickets won’t have a huge flavor impact and the only feeling of “ugh” that comes from people is simply because they’re trying crickets. I’m definitely not going to let that stop me. People need to be more adventurous. There’s so many healthy foods that get skipped over because people aren’t willing to try real food.
I am 65yrs old..just learning to ride a motorcycle…I WILL TRY THIS DISH OF CRICKETS !
I’m with Kathy about the crickets. Yuck. I will probably substitute peanuts or pecans. They don’t fart either.
Sounds great. Do not know if I can spring all this on husband at once, but we will see. So enjoyable to have your own sons creating food. That is a great parenting accomplishment. Have loads of fun.
I simply cannot bring myself to make a dish with crickets , let alone eat it sorry, just not that adventurous .
I’ve eaten both shirataki noodles and crickets (as well as other insects) – never thought of combining them! Great culinary creativity!
Tell me about the Mung beans used. Were they cooked prior to adding to the recipe?
Thanks
Soaked and sprouted!
That sounds amazing! I have been curious about shirataki for a while now, so I think it’s time for me to try it. Can’t say I have considered crickets before, but the health benefits seem intriguing. I love how you involved your kids. I have read some recent research that said that involving children in the cooking process is the best way to expand their palates and help them achieve optimal nutrition. Pad Thai is better than frozen aisle “kid food” any day!
I totally agree!
Sounds awesome! Will definitely be trying this with my family.