Thai Noodle Salad with Shrimp

I don't have any pictures of the process of making this beautiful dish, but it was way too good not to share this recipe with y'all.

The beauty of this dish is that it's pretty versatile. You can add whatever vegetables or protein you have on hand. If you happen to have chicken or beef instead of shrimp, use those instead!

I decided to serve this dish hot, but it can just as easily be served warm or cold. It would be a great dish to pack for a lunch or a picnic because of it's ease of serving! Let me know how it is in the comments section.

THAI NOODLE SALAD with SHRIMP

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INGREDIENTS

SALAD

8 ounces rice noodles (pad thai noodles)

1 pound peeled, deveined shrimp

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 large carrots, cut into matchsticks

1 orange bell pepper, cut into matchsticks

1 red bell pepper, cut into matchsticks

1 yellow bell pepper, cut into matchsticks

1 cup roughly chopped cilantro

3 green onions, green parts only

1 cup roughly chopped cilantro

1/2 cup peanuts

DRESSING

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 large cloves of peeled garlic

1/3 cup tamari, or soy sauce

1/4 cup white distilled vinegar

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

3 tablespoons lime juice

1/4 cup peanut butter

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine all ingredients of the dressing in a blender. Blend until smooth.

2. Cook the rice noodles to package instructions, in boiling water for about four minutes. Drain in a colinder and rinse with cold water. Return to saucepan.

3. Season the shrimp with garlic powder, chili powder, and salt. Toss to evenly coat each shrimp. Sauté in a few tablespoons of olive oil for two minutes on each side. Set aside.

4. Pour 3/4 of the dressing over the rice noodles in the saucepan, and turn the heat on low to rewarm. Once warm, add 1/2 of the carrots, bell peppers, green onions, and peanuts and toss to evenly distribute.

5. Pour the noodles into a serving dish, and top with shrimp, the remaining vegetables, cilantro, and peanuts. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the top of the dish.