I heart Veggies, and You Can Too: Shrimp Scampi Zoodles
We all know that we need to consume more vegetables and fruit, but can only think of so many ways to sneak them into our diet. About a year ago, I tried to incorporate more vegetables into my meals and had some successful and not-so successful attempts at veggin’ out (note to self: Bok Choy is not a good pizza topping).
I began very small. Adding squash to my spaghetti, avocado to my omelette, and even tossing in a handful of spinach into my morning protein shake. I am now no longer afraid to add my favorite leafy greens to just about any recipe! I have compiled a few delicious, veggie-centric recipes for you to experiment with. Over the next month, I will be sharing each of these recipes, one-by-one for a veg-tastic culinary series.
- Bacon and Maple Glazed Brussels Sprouts
- Chicken, butternut squash and black bean enchilada skillet
- Shrimp Scampi and “Zoodles”
- Summer Veggie Tacos
- Stuffed Portobello Burger
Shrimp Scampi and Zoodles
(Gluten-free, Paleo friendly)
My Veggetti noodle maker has revolutionized my meal experience! This handy tool allows for you to create ‘noodles’ with many different types of vegetables. My favorite is a zucchini noodle, or as I call it, “zoodle” (because it’s so fun to say).
This recipe is low carb and very simple to do. And best of all, it is a loaded with vegetables!
If you are new to zucchini noodles, don’t cook the zucchini longer than 2 minutes or it will become watery. If you plan to reheat this dish, perhaps don’t even cook the noodles until you are ready to eat.
Ingredients:
2 medium zucchini, about 8 oz each
1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil. divided
4 minced garlic cloves, divided
1 oz. white wine (optional)
12-14 peeled and de-veined shrimp
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley leaves
3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
1/8 tsp hot red pepper flakes
Directions:
In a large skillet, melt butter with olive oil. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add wine or broth, salt, red pepper flakes and plenty of black pepper and bring to a simmer. Let wine reduce by half, about 2 minutes.
Add shrimp and sauté until they just turn pink, 2 to 4 minutes depending upon their size.
Remove from skillet and add olive oil and garlic to pan, bring to simmer. Add Zucchini noodles and cook for 2 minutes (do not over cook). Add the shrimp back into pan and gently toss with parsley until flavors are incorporated.
Serve and enjoy!
