Just call me Bev: Thai Chicken Noodle Salad

I love cooking and boy do I love to eat but the coming up with and the cooking of the meals every night makes me a little mental. Sure, I could be a domestic legend like PPMJ but I never seem to get that organised or be bovvered with it all, so inevitably we have the same stuff on rotation. And that’s OK, we usually make up for it on the weekend or when we have visitors. Last night I wanted to make some healthy and tasty because DEAR GOD if it’s going to be good for me it better taste good. I picked up some bits & pieces from Harris Farm yesterday and had a vague recollection of a Donna Hay recipe that I watched on her show earlier this year. As an aside, I am a Donna fan but that show? Made me want to punch the TV. Her voice. The clean white spatulas. The white everything. Her long hair hanging down. The use of baking paper for everything. Man she knows how to make fabulous, easy, quick food but I just don’t need to hear her while she does it. So this is made up as I went, certainly not perfect, but tasty.

Thai Chicken Noodle Salad
: 2 chicken breasts
: Packet rice vermicelli noodles
: Bunch of mint
: Bunch of coriander
: 2 cucumbers
: Some toasted cashews
: Fresh chilli’s (I omitted this because I was feeding small peeps too)

Dressing
: Palm Sugar
: Coconut Milk
: Fish sauce
: Lemon or lime juice

: Firstly I emptied the pack of noodles into a big bowl and covered with boiling water for about 4 mins

: The dressing I made up as I went as I knew the basics of Thai flavours is 4 things: Spice (red chili) salt (fish sauce) sweet (palm sugar which I grated) and sour (lemon or lime juice). I threw in bits as I went and didn’t measure just kept tasting as I went. I added the coconut milk at the end to spread it out a bit more and I wanted a rich, creamy dressing (NOTE: not healthy). In the end I probably had about 300mls but Rob and I decided it needed more. Sorry this is so vague!

: Then I cut the chicken into thin(ish) bits and browned off in some sesame oil

: Once I drained the noodles I threw them into a colander in the sink and used the same big bowl to peel cucumber ribbons into. I just used my potato peeler and went around and around and around until I had yummy thin ribbons. I left the seeded bits in the middle and gave those sticks to the gals as a pre dinner snack.

: On top of the cuc I picked off the mint leaves from the bunch (I left them whole and didn’t break, rip or chop) and the same with the coriander.

: I then poured the dressing over the cooked chicken as I kind of wanted it to marinate for a minute or so. I tossed the drained noodles on top of the greens, whacked on the chicken and tossed. I did this part very well because I have always been a bit of a tosser.

: Serve with some roasted cashews over it’s back and hold me down…YUM!

The girls did not rate it but mostly because Daisy doesn’t like things that are cold (weirdo) and Harper copies everything that Daisy does. So they had leftover Italian pork sausage pasta from the night before. I ate too many serves because it was yum and I have some leftover for lunch today. Winning! Sure it’s probably not that healthy but it felt light, and fresh and summery and TASTY. Just make sure you have loads of dressing and some red chili as well. Enjoy!

Comments

  1. Yum! Will be giving this a go.

  2. Looks very nice. I agree Donna Hay’s show was a shocker. It wasn’t even her house! Authentic much?

  3. OOh, this sounds and looks very good. I make a similar version, but not with coconut milk, so I imagine this is creamy and delicious. I will be giving your version a whirl tonight. Have recently discovered the evaporated milk flavoured with coconut essence, and much prefer it to the ordinary variety, as it is even smoother.

    I suffer the same problem with inspiration. So easy for dinner parties or entertaining, but it’s the “what’s for dinner Mum” that I find maddening!!! Happy to be your newest follower – and I have to say you have the best “about me” I have ever seen. What a great story!

  4. Bevalicious!

    Wish I lived around the corner as I’d be stealthily stealing into your fridge and devouring today’s leftovers.

    Happy day Lovely!

  5. Yum! Looks good and sounds healthy enough for me πŸ™‚ I have the same problem coming up with meal ideas too. So much so that this week i think ive only cooked once!

  6. looks good…

    we’ve been eating the salads from michelle bridges book ‘losing the last 5 kilos’… tasty and light!

  7. Go Bev! πŸ™‚

    Chicken & cashews are just … argh, my FAVOURITE combination!

    Bon appetit xx

  8. YUM
    thought those ingredients on Instagram were gonna make something delicious!
    Yeah Donna Hay totally gives me the SHITS too!
    Me- I have to live an apron permanently like a little school girl in the 50’s with her “Pinny’ cause I am soooo messy!
    White schmight…..who needs it?
    xx

  9. Y to the UM!

  10. Bunch of mint, bunch of coriander – winner!

  11. Yum! Anything thai is just so good. By the way Bev, I cooked your mince chicken the other night. Delish!!!!!!!!

  12. Mmmm. Looks AMAZING. I’m going to stop calling you Bev and start calling you Donna. Just to annoy you πŸ˜‰ xx

  13. Yum!!! And super healthy. Coconut milk is full of fats, but GOOD fats. So this is actually a very healthy dinner. I need this in my belleh now!
    Also totally with you on the Donna Hay thing. And why does she always perfectly measure things and use too many dishes? Clearly she doesn’t wash up…
    xx

  14. That looks amazing! I made this exact recipe but with beef (thai beef salad taste recipe online) on Monday night and it was sooo yoummy. I would use less spice next time though my gosh was it hot lol.

    πŸ™‚

  15. Yumbo!!
    I’m doing a Donna Hay giveaway in a couple of weeks, just her products, no voice over, promise!!
    Um, your girls wouldn’t cope with my cold-leftovers-in-your-lunch school surprises!!
    I wish i liked to cook, see, i should be catering a dinner party for 4 children every night, like now, but i’m blogging. I’m a tad heroic though, i’m digging up some potatoes for their dinner, from the garden, exciting stuff, like buried treasure.
    Secretly thrilled two have camp next week & just cooking for 2 children. GOD i miss my husband, he can cook amazingly delicious meals. Damn war!! Love Posie

  16. Yumbo!!
    I’m doing a Donna Hay giveaway in a couple of weeks, just her products, no voice over, promise!!
    Um, your girls wouldn’t cope with my cold-leftovers-in-your-lunch school surprises!!
    I wish i liked to cook, see, i should be catering a dinner party for 4 children every night, like now, but i’m blogging. I’m a tad heroic though, i’m digging up some potatoes for their dinner, from the garden, exciting stuff, like buried treasure.
    Secretly thrilled two have camp next week & just cooking for 2 children. GOD i miss my husband, he can cook amazingly delicious meals. Damn war!! Love Posie

  17. Yum!

    I am glad to hear others hated that show. I was shouted down when I made a similar comment to a group of friends! I hope that was as dumbed down and pristine as it gets and if it is renewed they real it up a bit…

  18. Yummo! I agree with the Donna thing, her recipes are good but she is super annoying!
    Hope the healthy eating plan is going well. xx

  19. I love to cook too but like you, often go with my gut feeling and toss a little bit of this in and a little bit of that.. and you know what? I have to say I’ve become pretty good at this technique. In fact I challenge Donna H to do this without trialling, photo shooting and running recipes by her producers and advisors!! We mums have learnt to improvise, work to a tight schedule, ration and substitute ingredients and our kids and husbands always come back for more. “Mum’s cooking is the best!” So why change? I always feel like a masterchef in my kitchen!

  20. Looks to good to not try making myself… can’t stand Donna..do love her products and mag though x

  21. Oh my. YUM. Book marking now, I’m giving THIS a go.

  22. GOLD! We used to watch the show and get the royal irrits with the dubbed voiceovers! And the baking paper, what is with that?! I loved the ‘pantry staples’ carry on…I’m sorry, but buffalo mozzarella is NOT a pantry staple.

    I am a huge Donna (magazine) fan, have been buying for years and lots of our weekly rotations are staples. This is one of our staples, pretty much identical to yours. I steam the chicken breast and then shred it (makes me feel better about the lashings of coconut milk I whack in)

    http://au.tv.yahoo.com/sunrise/recipes/recipe/-/8470905/chicken-rice-noodle-salad-with-coconut-milk-dressing/

    x

  23. i’m all for light, healthy meals right now and this looks delicious. As for DH – I did some work experience in her office. Let’s just say she’s not the loveliest x

  24. ooooh – I make something really similar with seafood – soooo good! Looks delish!

  25. made it last night – it was great! Thanks for the inspiration!

  26. This looks absolutely delicious…and I could gobble it all up right now! Big fan of Donna’s…am going to have to try my hand at this one..thanks for sharing lovely x

  27. yum! going to make this! love salad – the kids don’t so I have salad and they need something else

    corrie:)

  28. This was great for all of us

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