zoodles with shrimp & arugula pesto

So far the month of May has been a whirlwind of traveling and eating out. Some of those meals were incredible, like fresh oysters and she-crab soup in Charleston, and others not so much (looking at you airport Burger King). Ever since my husband and I started Whole30 on February 10th, we've been constantly learning about what it means to be healthy and how that actually plays out in our lives. The reality is that you can't always eat a perfectly compliant meal or even have a healthy option, and that's ok. Moderation has to be the key. 

For this week and the next we have no overnight travel plans and will be able to have almost every meal at home so we're getting back on the wagon. This means no eating out and being as Whole30 compliant as possible. For me it's not about being on a diet, but making the best choice whenever possible so that I can enjoy cake at a birthday party or a huge hamburger at the ballpark and not feel bad about it. 

Several months ago I bought a $5 spiralizer from TJMaxx and used it a handful of times before it broke. Sometimes it pays off to spend a little more and get a product of better quality. THIS is the new one I got from Amazon, and I love it. I know zoodles (zucchini noodles) aren't a new thing, but they really are just as versatile as pasta. This dish is light, but filling and includes 2 of my favorite things, pesto and shrimp! With the temperature already reaching the 90s here in Georgia, it's that perfect meal that won't won't weigh you down or heat your house up from using the oven. Plus, it all comes together in about 20 minutes.

{Makes a full meal for 2}

INGREDIENTS 

zucchini (3-4 large)

shrimp (10 per person)

pesto 

kosher salt

black pepper

lemon 

PESTO

1/4 cup pine nuts 

1 standard package of basil

arugula

3-4 garlic cloves 

kosher salt

lemon

olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS

1) Start by making the pesto. Place pine nuts with garlic cloves in a food processor and pulse until chunky. Use less garlic if sensitive to a strong garlic flavor. 

2) Place in all of the basil and an equal amount of arugula. It's ok to eyeball here. Pulse to chop and combine.

3) Squeeze in a tablespoon or two of fresh lemon juice. Maybe half of a lemon depending on your taste.

4) With the processor running, drizzle in olive oil unitl a smooth consistency is reached. Taste and season with kosher salt if needed. 

***Make the pesto ahead of time. Keeps in the fridge for a week. Leftovers can be frozen.

5) Spiralize the zucchini into noodles. If you don't have a spiralizer, cut the zucchini into long thin strands with a knife, mandolin, or julienne peeler.

6) Zucchini can be eaten raw or cooked. I boiled mine in a pot of salted water for a minute then poured them into a colander to drain until ready to serve. More info about different methods to cook zoodles can be found HERE.

7) Lastly, cook the shrimp. Make sure that the shrimp are as dry as possible and that the pan is properly preheated. A drop of water should sizzle immediately and then evaporate. 

8) When the pan is heated, drizzle in a small amount of oil (I use avocado oil) and swirl it to coat the entire pan. Lay the shrimp down in the pan clockwise starting at 12 o'clock. Do not crowd the shrimp or they will steam.

9) While the shrimp are cooking, season the top side with kosher salt and black pepper. 

10) As soon as the shrimp start to turn pink on the bottom side and curl, flip to the other side and season. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the shrimp before removing from the pan. They are done when the entire shrimp is pink and curled into a C shape.

11) Toss shrimp and zoodles with the pesto and serve with a lemon wedge on the side. Reheat the zoodles if you want it served hot, but it works great room temp or even chilled.

Additional Topping Options:

-goat cheese

-cherry tomatoes

-olives

-red onion

-mozzarella 

-sauteed mushrooms

-avocado

Shrimp Tips:

-Unless you know for sure that your shrimp are super fresh, you're better off buying frozen shrimp. A lot of so called fresh shrimp in cases at the grocery store have been previously frozen and they charge much more for them.

-Buy shrimp that are de-veined, not previously cooked, and still have the tail on. The shell and tail offer a lot of flavor and can be saved to use in soups or stocks. I cook my shrimp with the tail left on. 

-Shrimp over cook very quickly and turn rubbery. A hot pan will cook them in mere minutes and need to be constantly watched. Placing the shrimp in the pan clockwise starting at 12 o'clock makes it easier to know the order to flip them.