Creamy Low Carb Zucchini Noodles with Spicy Shrimp

16 March 2016

Nothing beats a good hearty pasta, especially as we approach the colder months. But of course we all know that unfortunately refined carbs, and a slim waistline do not go hand in hand. I am all for still enjoying your favourite foods, so by no means am I suggesting we give up noodles for good. Rather we are just going to switch up a few things to make this dish low in carbs and super good for you. And this recipe is dairy free too. I use avocados to create a delicious creamy sauce, instead of cream. You can even add a dash of coconut milk for a little bit of extra flavour and creaminess. This dish is a great source of healthy fats and protein to keep you feeling satisfied for hours after. Yum and healthy..as it should be!

Ingredients:

Serves 2| Ready in 25 minutes

3 small zucchini

3 cups shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 tbsp homemade basil pesto (see recipe here)

1 tbsp dry rosted shaved almonds

1 Tbsp olive oil

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1 ripe avocado

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

¼ cup basil leaves

Pink Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

Step 1:

To make the sauce, combine avocado, garlic, lemon juice, and basil in a food processor (or blender). Puree until all ingredients are combined and the sauce is smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Step 2:

Use a spiralizer or julienne peeler to create zucchini noodles. If you don’t have these tools, you can simply slice the zucchini into thin strips by hand (essentially you are going for the size of linguine, or thinner if you prefer). If you are based in South Africa, Woolworths has these ready cut up too which is a big time saver.

Step 3:

Heat a pot of water over high heat. Once the water begins to boil, add your zucchini pasta. Cook for one minute and then quickly remove the zucchini to a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process (i.e. blanch your veggies!). Drain the zucchini and set aside.

Step 4:

In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil over medium heat. Add 1 tsp garlic, and ¼ tsp cayenne pepper. Allow garlic to brown slightly, and then add shrimp to the pan, season with salt and pepper, and cook until pink.

Step 5:

Add the shrimp, avocado sauce, pesto and cherry tomatoes to the drained zucchini pasta. Mix until thoroughly combined. Sprinkle with shaved almonds and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Yours in Health Always,

Cara-Lisa

@caralishious

xoxo