Tag: Garlic Chili Shrimp with Pesto Zoodles

I love a quick and healthy meal. And by quick, I mean a meal you can whip up in 10 minutes! 

This was my lunch the other day. Busy with client calls and lots of writing, I quickly got into the kitchen, perused through the fridge and my eyes landed on the pesto, the zucchini and the bag of shrimp I was defrosting.

I think it can be easy to over complicate food. 

I remember back in my 9-5 work days I would bring in my own lunch to work and everyone would always be peering over my shoulder talking about my ‘gourmet’ lunch. 

Umm… gourmet? Not really. I would just whip together leftovers, like roasted veggies and grilled chicken and apparently it looked gourmet. 

Well, considering that most people in the office were eating fast food and well… crap; my meals looked pretty fancy. They also looked vibrant! You know, real food, real colours and not beige nutrient-less junk. 

Anyhow, you can image some of the ‘health’ conversations that would get stirred up at the office. 

I mean, I was eating real food people. Ain’t nothing wrong with that!

Anyhow, I digress…

Let’s get to this incredibly tasty 10 minute meal. The smell of fresh parsley mixed with garlic and chili is so good. You’re gonna want to eat the shrimp right outta the pan (I sure did!).

Best part is, this meal is incredible for balancing out your blood sugar levels. Ain’t no insulin spikes happening here! You’ve got a bowl full of veggies (zucchini), protein from shrimp and healthy fats. No starchy carbs, just real, simple whole foods. This meal will keep your mood stable and support your energy levels. 

Also, shrimp (make sure to get wild caught) is loaded with selenium, which is an important mineral for supporting the thyroid. 

Ok, let’s get cooking…

So first, you’re gonna need to start with some spiralized zucchini noodles. This is the spiralizer I have here.  If you don’t have a spiralizer, don’t fret! You can simply use a vegetable grater and grate thin slices of zucchini or use a knife to slice it into thin strips, your call.

If you are using a store bought pesto, make sure it’s organic or at least contains only natural ingredients. If you prefer to make your own, try my detox pesto recipe here. If you’re making it from scratch, now’s the time to whip it up before you get cooking. 

Once you’re pesto is ready to go, chop up 2 garlic cloves, a small bunch of fresh parsley (roughly 2-3 tbsp) and measure out 1 teaspoon of chili flakes. Prepare your shrimp by peeling them and leaving them aside. I used one whole bag (roughly 30 shrimp).

Heat olive oil or grass fed butter in a cast iron pan and once hot, add in shrimp, garlic, chili flake, parsley and fresh cracked black pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until shrimp turn nice and pink. 

Once shrimp are cooked, remove from the pan and set aside into a bowl.

To the same pan, add in zucchini noodles and pesto and cook on medium-low heat until cooked through, roughly 6-7 minutes. The time it takes to cook your noodles all depends on your preference. You might like them on the softer side or slightly harder and on the raw-er side with a bit of bite. Your call. Cook them to your desired preference. 

Once cooked, add zoodles to a bowl, top with shrimp and sprinkle fresh parley on top. 

DONE and DONE!

This meal is finger-lickin’ good, healthy and a huge time saver when you feel strapped to get something quick and nutritious on the table. 

As much as a delicious bowl of pasta can be, I really don’t miss it. The zucchini noodles are really filling and satisfying and you can top them with you favourite sauce. 

Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do!