Garlic and Lemon Shrimp Spaghetti

This has got to be my favourite pasta dish. It's quick, easy, and always a hit, especially with my toddler who loves shrimp. The garlic, butter, lemon, and basil combination makes this dish packed with fresh flavours that compliment the shrimp really well. I typically use spinach for the greens but this will also work with other green veggies such as peas, broccolini, zucchini, kale, or arugula. 

This is great as a meal on its own, but if you're feeding a larger group, serve it with a side salad and some garlic bread for a comforting pasta meal at home. Leftovers are fantastic for lunch the next day heated up for a couple of minutes in the microwave and topped with more freshly grated, parmesan cheese.

Hope you enjoy this simple, yet gratifying pasta dish!

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 ounces spaghetti
• 12 ounces large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lemon, rind grated, and juice set aside
• 3 cups spinach
• 1 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• freshly ground Himalayan salt and black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

• Marinate shrimp with half of minced garlic, olive oil, and grated lemon rind. 
• In a large pot, boil water with a pinch of salt and cook pasta to al dente (about 6 minutes). 
• In a seperate, heavy bottomed skillet, melt the butter and sauté the marinated shrimp over medium heat until its starting to turn pink (about a minute). 
• Add pasta, spinach, and pasta water, stirring frequently, until spinach is wilted and shrimp is completely pink and cooked through (about 1-2 minutes). 
• Remove from heat.
• Add in lemon juice, parmesan cheese, and chopped basil. 
• Season with salt and pepper to taste and mix well.
• Serve immediately, garnished with more basil.

Serves 4-6

Asian Meat Balls

The first time I tasted these meatballs at my mother in-laws, I was blown away. They were crisp on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside. I was hooked! I've made them only a few times myself and once I added spinach instead of mushrooms. I think the key ingredient here is the cornstarch which gives it that outside texture that makes them the best, in my opinion. They keep great in the freezer as well so double the recipe to make a huge batch and freeze them in freezer bags for a quick and easy meal. 

*Note: I've played around with the temperature and have cooked them at 400 degrees for 40 minutes in the convection setting from frozen and they turned out fantastic! 

Ingredients:

1 lb ground pork

1 cup water chestnuts, diced small

1 large egg

1 tbsp soya sauce 

1 tbsp sherry or red wine

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 tsp ginger, minced or microplaned

2 tbsp cornstarch

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

2. Form into balls, around 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter. 

3. Bake on a cookie sheet lined with parchment at 325 degrees for approximately an hour, turning once in between. 

4. Serve topped with herbs, sesame, seeds, & your choice of dipping sauce. 

Thanks for visiting! Let me know how you like this recipe in the comments😊.

Jules ❣