How Many Calories in Lo Mein?

When my family heads our for Chinese food, one of the things we always end up ordering is a plate of noodles. It's mostly my influence -- they're my favourite. Being a flexitarian, I don't eat a lot of meat, so carbs are my go-to meal. Plus Chinese-style noodles are just plain tasty

Noodles with veggies and sauce is a typical dish for me. But I'm not blind to the fact that noodles are high in calories -- particularly when they're covered in a sweet sauce. But still, I'm wondering ... how bad can they be? What do you think?

How Many Calories ... in a serving of Low Mein Combo from P. F. Changs?

1. 356 cal
2. 693 cal
3. 998 cal
4. 1409 cal

Shockingly, the answer is 1409 calories and 66 g of fat. That's a frightening amount of calories for one meal -- even if you were to share it, you'd still be eating over 700 calories and 33 g of fat.

I'm sure this portion is pretty large, and not all noodle dishes are this bad for you, but the moral of the story is that you need to be cautious. If you're heading out to a restaurant, look up the nutritional information beforehand if possible to avoid overdoing it. Making your own version at home? Make sure you use whole wheat noodles and remember that at least half of the dish should be fresh veggies.

Gluten Free Lo Mein Recipe

Gluten free Chinese food can be hard to find, but it is easy to miss the Asian flavors when you are not allowed to have them. Lo-mein made with rice noodles will ease the cravings for Chinese food, without the guilt and pain of cheating on your gluten free diet.

Gluten Free Lo Mein is made with rice stick noodles, which are perfect for a gluten free diet. Rice stick noodles are made using only rice flour and water. They are simply made and inexpensive to buy, making them a great alternative, not only to regular pasta, but to other gluten free pastas as well.

There is no need to pre-boil the rice stick noodles for Gluten Free Lo Mein. Soaking the noodles in cold water will soften the noodles and make them easier to work with. Cold water will not release as much starch as boiling water would, which will keep the rice stick noodles from becoming gummy or mushy. The rice stick noodles in this Gluten Free Lo Mein recipe will finish cooking and softening very quickly once the noodles and broth are added to the pan.

Ingredients for Gluten Free Lo Mein

• 3 Tbs. oil
• 14 oz. rice stick noodles
• 3 c. thinly sliced cabbage
• 7 green onions, cut into one inch long pieces
• 1 c. shredded carrot
• 1 Tbs. sesame seeds
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/3 c. gluten free soy sauce
• 2 c. chicken, beef or vegetable broth

Preparation Instructions for Gluten Free Lo Mein

1. Remove noodles from package and submerge completely in a bowl of cold water.
2. Let soak for 30 minutes.
3. Drain noodles and discard water.
4. In a large skillet or wok, heat oil, sesame seed and ground ginger for about 2 minutes on medium low heat.
5. Add cabbage, green onions and carrots to the oil in the skillet or wok.
6. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes.
7. Push vegetables to the sides of the wok or skillet.
8. Add noodles, broth and soy sauce to the pan.
9. Increase heat to medium high and cook, stirring constantly and incorporating vegetables, until all liquid is absorbed.
10. Remove from heat and serve.

Serving Suggestions for Gluten Free Lo Mein

Gluten Free Lo Mein is great when served by itself, or try some of these gluten free Chinese meal ideas.
- For easy Gluten Free Chicken Lo Mein, add 2 cups cooked chicken with noodles and heat through.
- For Gluten Free Beef Lo Mein, add 2 cups cooked beef with noodles and heat through.
- For Gluten Free Vegetable Lo Mein, add 1 bag of frozen, Oriental style vegetables to the oil with the cabbage, onions and carrots. Increase vegetable cooking time to 10 minutes.