shrimp pad thai recipe

Shrimp Pad Thai Recipe

1/4 lb. rice-stick noodles

1 tsp. canola oil

1/2 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

4 scallions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 egg whites, lightly beaten

2 tbsp. Thai fish sauce

2 tbsp. sugar

1 tbsp. hot chili sauce (sriracha)

1 tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 cups bean sprouts

3 tbsp. dry roasted peanuts, chopped

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

1. Place the noodles in a large bowl and add enough hot water to cover; let stand until the noodles are soft, about 10 minutes.  Drain, transfer the noodles to a large bowl of cold water to cool, and drain again.  Set aside.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Swirl in the oil, then add the shrimp.  Cook until the shrimp are just opaque in the center, about 3 minutes.  Add the scallions and garlic.  Cook until fragrant, about 10 seconds.  Add the egg whites, stirring gently, until they begin to set, about 30 seconds.  Add the fish sauce, sugar, chili sauce, and soy sauce; cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves, about 30 seconds.  Add the drained noodles and the bean sprouts; cook, tossing gently, until mixed and heated through, 2-3 minutes longer.  Sprinkle with peanuts and cilantro.  

Serving Size: (1 cup) 243 calories, 4 g fat, 1 g Sat Fat, 67 mg Chol, 36 g Carb, 3 g Fib, 15 g Prot, 56 Mg Calc.

Weight Watcher Points - 5 pts/serving

This recipe is a favorite of mine.  It is so good.  When I make it for the family I usually leave out the sriracha, take a portion out big enough for the girls, and then add the sriracha to the remaining food.  

It is a little too spicy for little girls. 

Try it out and tell me what you think!!

listen

Hey guys!  It's almost 4 a.m. and I'm having a little breakfast before I head to the radio station this morning.  I will be on the Van and Bonnie show this morning as a "designated Bonnie" along with my sister-in-law Melissa, to fill in for Bonnie while she's on vacation.  Be sure to tune into WHO 1040 from 4:59-9am.  

I'm sure you'll all be up right at 4:59, right?!?

If you're not in the Des Moines area, you can listen at WHOradio.com.

Now...what should I talk about?...

opportunity

My whole life I have been a salesperson.

I remember being a very young girl, probably about 5 years old, and getting a box of chocolate bars from my school for a fundraiser.  I went door-to-door with them after school that day and came home with an empty box.  My parents were pretty impressed, but honestly, who could say "No" to a 5-year-old cutie with a box of chocolates?  I think I was just fearless.  I didn't think about people rejecting me.  I just wanted to sell my chocolates.

I kind of loved selling those candy bars.  I remember looking forward to the time every year when we got to take as many boxes as we thought we could sell home with us.  There were really cool prizes you could win based on how many you sold.  One year I sold a lot of bars and won lunch in a limo.  They picked us up some McDonald's cheeseburgers and drove us around town.  I still remember how cool it was to get out of school for an hour with something besides a school lunch and just revel in my accomplishment.  When you're in elementary school, it's the small things that make an impact.

Really, I think, sales are in my blood.  My grandma was part of a direct selling business called Home Interiors.  Some of you may have heard of it, although recently they changed their name to "Celebrating Home".  It is a home decorating business that sells framed art, candles, anything you might find in a home decor store.  She was a part of the business from the early years and was very successful.  

A few years ago I attempted a business with a skin care company and really worked my tail off for a few months without a lot of success and making almost no money.  The products were excellent, but the compensation was poor unless you had many downlines (people you personally sponsor).  A lot of money was put in, and little was gained.  It really left me disheartened, because sales were something I normally succeed in.  I felt like a mooch rather than a salesperson, constantly trying to get people to sell the product as this was the only way to succeed.  I ultimately decided this wasn't the place for me, and moved on.

Recently I was invited to a Premier Jewelry party.  I've always loved jewelry parties, whether they be at somebody's house or just a catalog party.  They're easy.  There's usually something for everybody, from young to old.  And I just love jewelry.  After attending my grandma's party, I saw how much free jewelry she earned by hostessing, and decided to have my own party.  I had an average to below-average turnout, but my sales were great and I got about $350 worth of jewelry for free.  It was really exciting.  I couldn't believe the benefits of hostessing, and how easy it was to do. 

Sarah, the jeweler who did my party, let me know that she gets 50% of her parties sales.  So my party's total was about $650, and she made around $325 that night, in 3 hours!!  That's an awesome hourly rate.  The opportunity to make a little extra money for my family had definitely presented itself to me in a big way.  I had been wanting to do something to help out financially recently, and I thought this could be a good way to do it.  It is important for me to stay home with my girls, and I could choose my hours this way.  

After a few days of thinking it over, my sister and I both decided to pursue the business together.  We have received our big kit of jewelry and have been wearing it and playing with it.  It's been very exciting, and we are pumped to do our first party soon.  Let me know if any of you would like to hostess a party.  I'd love to get my fall parties booked early.  

This is an amazing opportunity that I wanted to share with you all.  I will let you know how my first parties go!!  Wish me luck. :)