Thursday, August 16, 2018

Recipe: Shrimp, Zoodles and Green Goddess "Pesto" (Gluten Free, Dairy Free)

So you noticed that "Pesto" is in quotes, right?  There's no cheese in this one. (I know, a lot of you are saying "Booooo!"  But my Dairy Free friends are saying, "Yahooooo!")  Also, not sure if it is because I used a Magic Bullet, rather than a Food Processor (I'm not a cook remember?), but my "Pesto" came out delightfully creamy rather than "Pesto-y".  

Regardless, it was delicious--and totally healthy.  Lots of good veggies and herbs, healthy fats, and even some protein.  If you're not a shrimp eater, feel free to sub out with chicken, beef, beans, or whatever strikes your fancy.  It's all good!  Enjoy!

BIG GADGETS NEEDED:
  • Spiralizer
  • Food Processor (or Magic Bullet!)

INGREDIENTS:

   FOR THE ZOODLES
  • 2-3 Zucchini, washed, ends trimmed and zucchini cut in half
  • Coconut oil/Avocado Oil (if heating your zoodles) 
   FOR THE "PESTO"
  • 1/2 cup basil leaves packed
  • 1/2 cup baby arugula packed
  • 1/3 cup hemp hearts
  • 1/3 cup roughly chopped chives or green onion tops (NOT the white part)
  • 3 tablespoons cold-pressed olive oil
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, to taste
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled
  • 1 teaspoon jarred capers, drained
  • 1/4 teaspoon of the caper brine (i.e., liquid from jarred capers)
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
  • Freshly-ground black pepper to taste
   FOR THE SHRIMP
  • Shrimp
  • Coconut oil
  • Garlic Powder
  • Lemon
  • Salt
  • Pepper
   OPTIONAL
  • Chopped cherry tomatoes
  • Fresh Basil

HOW TO:

   ZOODLES
  • Wash and dry your zucchini.  Trim the ends.  Cut in half.  Prep a plate with a paper towel to catch your freshly spiralized zoodles.
  • Use the "spaghetti" blade and make your zoodles.
  • Pat zoodles dry with paper towels
  • Now let the zoodles sit and go make your pesto

   PESTO
  • Take all pesto ingredients and add them to your food processor.  Blend.  Yup.  It's that easy.
   SHRIMP
  • Heat up your fry pan.  Add the oil.  Add the shrimp.
  • Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper.
  • Cook until just firm.
  • Squeeze a little lemon on top.  Remove pan from heat.  Take shrimp out of the pan, put them on a plate.  
   HEATING ZOODLES (Optional)
  • Choice is yours.  If you're a David Wolfe follower, maybe you like your zoodles crunchy and raw.  Me?  I like them just warm with a slight snap.
  • So...if you're like me, take your shrimp pan and wipe it out carefully with a paper towel. Please do not burn yourself.  That would not be cool (literally).  
  • Throw a little coconut or avocado oil into the pan and heat to medium high.  Once the pan is hot, toss in your zoodles and stir them around for 2 mins.  (They will still be a little crunchy.)
  • Do not overcook or you'll have a mushy mess.  Nobody wants that.
   COMBINE
  • Put a little pesto over the top of your zoodles (if the pesto isn't runny enough, you can always add a little warm water to thin it out--there's totally enough flavor in there to do this) and mix it in.  
  • Shrimp goes on top.  
Done.  

Maybe add some chopped cherry tomatoes on top and if you want to look extra fancy add a little sprig of basil.  Enjoy!  

Let me know how it goes or if you add your own little flair to the recipe!  



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