Low Carb Lo Mein

One of the most requested dishes in Chinese cuisine is Lo Mein. Asian flavors bounce all over your palate with the tastes of tender noodles and crisp vegetables dancing in a sauce graced with ginger and garlic and soy. It's classic Asian comfort food and so fast and easy to make!

Lo Mein is traditionally made with noodles, but in this lighter version shredded green cabbage is used in the place of the pasta. It's long threads resemble the silky noodles while maintaining a slightly toothsome texture, just like lo mein noodles.

Low Carb and LOVING It!

Never give up your favorite dishes and flavors because you're watching your waistline. Just a few simple substitutions and you can still get all of the satisfying textures and flavors you know and love in this Asian staple.

This particular dish is made with pork, but you can easily substitute chicken. For added flavor and to start preparations ahead, you can marinate the meat overnight in a bit of oil, ginger and garlic. Lots of fresh vegetables also brighten up the savoriness of the dish as well as provide a wonderful textural contrast to the tender strips of meat and ribbons of cabbage.

Low Cal Lo Mein

¼ cup soy sauce

1 Tbsp sriracha

1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped

1 ½ tsp salt

1 Tbsp honey

Juice of ½ small lime

5-6 boneless pork loin chops, thinly sliced

½ lb fettuccine noodles, boiled

2 Tbsp olive oil, divided

½ tsp sesame oil

2 stalks celery, thinly sliced

½ large yellow onion, thinly sliced

2 large carrots, julienned (matchstick-sized pieces)

3 hands full of frozen green beans (literally, grab a handful from the bag 3 times)

¼ head cabbage, shredded or finely sliced

¼ cup cold water

1 Tbsp cornstarch

Salt, pepper, sesame oil to taste

Fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

Lime wedges (optional)

Stirring the Wok

In a large zipper bag, mix together soy sauce, sriracha, ginger, garlic, salt, honey and lime juice. Add in sliced pork and let marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Bring 5 quarts of water to a boil over high heat, and add fettuccine noodles.

Heat a large wok over medium-high heat and add in 1 Tbsp olive oil, and sesame oil. Pour contents of zipper bag, pork and marinade, into hot wok and cook until pork is just cooked. Pour the pork and juices into a bowl and set aside.

Pour the other tablespoon of olive oil to the wok and add celery, onion, and carrots. Saute until they become just tender and slightly caramelized, about 5 to 8 minutes.

When vegetables are just cooked, add back into the wok the pork with its juices and mix well. Cook for about 5 more minutes. Add shredded cabbage and stir in well to incorporate.

In a small bowl, mix together well the cold water and cornstarch to make a slurry. Once all the cornstarch is dissolved, pour it over the contents of the wok and mix well. Season to taste with salt, pepper and sesame oil.

To serve this dish, you can mix in the drained fettuccine noodles into the wok, or simply plate the noodles first and top with vegetables and pork. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and lime wedges.