PREP: 20 minutes | COOK: 10 minutes | YIELD: 6 servings
This recipe is perfect for a weeknight meal because the shrimp cook fast, and the pasta sauce doesn’t require any cooking at all. Also, cooking the shrimp in their shells not only speeds up the prep time, but also ensures they are more flavorful and juicy. Just peel them as you eat them.
12 oz (340 g) whole wheat linguini
1½ lbs (680 g) large shrimp, shells on, deveined
1 Tbsp (15 ml) extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp (15 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Tbsp (15 ml) cilantro, minced
1 Tbsp (15 ml) basil, minced
¼ tsp (1.25 ml) red pepper flakes
SAUCE
2 avocados, pitted and peeled
1 Tbsp (15 ml) extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon, zested and juiced
4 cups (950 ml) spinach, packed
½ cup (120 ml) cilantro
½ cup (120 ml) basil
2 cloves garlic
¼ tsp (1.25 ml) each sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Bring a large pot of water to boil on high heat. Add a pinch of salt, if desired, and cook linguini until tender, but still firm to the bite. Scoop out ¼ cup (60 ml) of the cooking liquid, then drain the pasta and transfer to a large bowl.
In the meantime, in a bowl, toss the shrimp with olive oil, lemon juice, cilantro, basil, red pepper flakes and a pinch of salt and pepper until coated. Thread shrimp on metal or wooden skewers (if using wooden skewers, soak for about 20 minutes prior to using to prevent scorching).
To make suace, add to a food processor avocados, olive oil, lemon zest and juice, spinach, cilantro, basil, garlic, salt and pepper. Pulse-chop until chunky. While processor is running, stream in reserved pasta water 1 Tbsp (15 ml) at a time until mixture resembles a chunky sauce. You may not need to use all of the water. Pour sauce over pasta and toss to coat.
Heat a grill or grill pan to high. Grill shrimp for about 3 minutes, turn, and grill 2 to 3 minutes longer until opaque and curled.
NUTRITIONAL VALUE PER SERVING:
Calories: 341 | Calories from Fat: 137 | Protein: 28 g | Carbs: 22 g | Total Fat: 15 g | Saturated Fat: 2 g | Trans Fat: 0 g | Fiber: 7 g | Sodium: 68 mg | Cholesterol: 33 mg
