COURGETTE NOODLES

I really have been missing a few things recently, and pasta is definitely one of them. Tagliatelle, spaghetti, cannelloni, penne... and those are just a few of the basics. One reason I have managed to stay strong and not give in to the cravings is because there are these lovely little things called Courgette Noodles. So easy to make and such a fantastic alternative!

Now you can keep the skin on for extra fiber, like I did, but if you want something a little bit more realistic you can peel it off. Making it look like pasta helps trick your brain and taste buds into thinking it is pasta! I used a julienne peeler/cutter to slice the courgettes and they came out looking so realistic, but you can use a knife - it just takes a bit longer!

The great thing about courgettes is that their flavour goes with just about anything, so you can use these noodles with any sauce. They also hold their shape really well, but if you get very large courgettes it might be preferable to remove some of the seeds in the middle.

This is such a delicious recipe and perfect for a quick lunch.

COURGETTE NOODLES WITH CALAMARI AND SHRIMP IN LEMON BUTTER AND GARLIC SAUCE 

Serves 2

For the Noodles

4 courgettes

2 tsp fine salt

butter or olive oil for cooking

using a julienne peeler, cut the courgettes lengthways to make long noodles

sprinkle the salt over and leave them in a colander in the sink to drain off excess moisture

warm the butter or olive oil in a pan and sauté the noodles for a few minutes until the are just cooked 

For the Calamari and Shrimp

80g butter

1 lemon, halved

2 tsp minced garlic

300g of calamari rings

150g of shrimp

2 tsp chopped parsley

salt and black pepper

melt the butter in a large pan, then squeeze in the juice of half a lemon

add the garlic and sauté just enough to get the flavours into the butter and pour into a bowl (if you don't think there is enough butter feel free to add more)

in the same pan fry the calamari and shrimp until cooked and just browning

pour the lemon butter back into the pan, along with the cooked courgette noodles and season

remove from the heat and toss in the parsley 

serves in bowls with lemon wedges