Sometimes living out here in the “wild west” we all want something a little different than tacos or steak. And while in many places Asian food is hard to come by, if you’re having a craving for it, it may or may not be available. Or so you may think. This recipe for Thai Basil Beef or Pad Gra Prow can easily be made at home and on your table in less than an hour.

If at times, like me, you wander past the Asian food section in your local grocery store, you take a look at all the different sauces and different noodles, and just sort of scratch your head, you’re not alone. While I look at these ingredients and really want to make some sort of Asian food from time to time, it can be a bit intimidating. In truth, most Asian food is anything but. In fact, it’s usually quite easy.

So, what is the best way to go about making an Asian-inspired dish at home? Whether it be Chinese, Korean, Thai, or even Vietnamese, first, I recommend deciding what your favorite Asian flavors are. This is the biggest first step for me, because there is something I love about all of the above.

One of my favorites is Thai food. While there is usually a starchy component to most Asian dishes, Thai food is one that can easily be made low carb. Not to say it is a requirement, you can easily serve these dishes with rice, noodles, or quinoa, or you can just eat it as is or use cauliflower rice. That is totally your call.

One thing I enjoy most about Asian dishes is that they utilize various types of vegetables. This dish uses spinach, and bell peppers, but don’t let this recipe limit you. You can add others. In fact, snow peas, bean sprouts, and even broccoli can be added, to name a few.

The homemade Thai sauce that accompanies this one-skillet- wonder utilizes well-known Thai flavors of garlic, sesame, tamari, honey, lime, rice vinegar and red chili paste with an added crunch of cashews thrown in for good measure.

The only speedbump you may encounter in making this at home is finding actual Thai basil. This particular basil is spicy and tastes a little like licorice, but it is difficult to find in many stores other than an Asian or international market. Not to worry, sweet or Italian basil will work just fine.

Therefore, the next time you have a hankerin’ for some Asian inspired food, find yourself a recipe that uses your favorite flavors and get to cooking. I would bet you find making these dishes at home is much more satisfying and better than anything you might find in a restaurant, and you just might find that leaving your cooking comfort zone isn’t quite as scary as you first thought.

Thai Basil Beef Ingredients 2 tablespoons olive oil divided 1 red bell pepper, sliced. 1 green bell pepper, sliced. 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced. 16 ounces 85% lean ground beef 4 ounces fresh spinach 1 cup fresh basil 4 ounces of cashews Thai-inspired sauce 4 garlic cloves, minced. ¼ cup low-sodium tamari sauce or soy sauce 2 tablespoons rice vinegar 2 tablespoons sesame oil 2 tablespoons honey 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice 2 tablespoons red chili paste Directions Toast nuts in the oven on parchment paper at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

For the sauce, combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl or food processor, and combine well.

In a large wok or skillet, add one tablespoon of olive oil along with the sliced bell peppers and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from skillet.

Add ground beef and the other tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet and cook through.

Drain any liquid or fat from the skillet after the beef is cooked.

Add spinach to the skillet and cook until it wilts.

Add bell peppers back into the skillet with the spinach and beef, along with the sauce and fresh basil. Reserve some of the basil for garnish.

Stir in the toasted cashews, season with salt and pepper if desired, or add one more tablespoon of tamari or soy sauce.

Serve over starch of choice if desired and garnish with fresh basil.