I don’t think I can express how impressed I was with this seriously simple and healthy dinner that I prepared last night with two of my closest girlfriends. We decided earlier in the week to get together at my house and cook since we all are so tired of dining out. However, all of us needed to adhere to our post work exercise schedules, so whatever we were going to make needed to be simple, quick and healthy. If we had time to work till 5:30, make a 6:15 spin class, and create a gourmet meal in 30 minutes by 8pm, SO.CAN.YOU. — plus a little vino, cooking in leggings and listening to Carolina beach music helped too. This “shrimp scampi over zoodles” is layered with tons of flavors, low in calories, and contains only a few ingredients. We paired it with a delicious crisp romaine salad with homemade dijon vinaigrette (click here for the recipe).

To create the “zoodles” – zucchini noodles – you will need a vegetable spiralizer of some sort – SO… buy this one. The Paderno 3-blade Spiralizer is fool proof, easy to clean and its under $40.00. Another top kitchen item that I urge you to purchase if you do not already have one… is the tablet kitchen stand from Williams-Sonoma. It’s perfect for propping up your iPad to flip through online recipes from your favorite blogs (like… cookingandaconvo.com.. right?), and as a speaker for streaming music while you cook.

This dish would make a great show for your significant other on Valentine’s Day, at a supper club night, or just for you on a perfectly nice perfectly ordinary night.

Scroll down for step by step recipe photos.

My tablescape for having the girls over was easy to throw together. I am currently obsessed with the Two’s Company-48 piece paper placemats that come in a variety of fun and vibrant patterns and colors (makes clean up so simple – especially if you have kiddos – also a great gift idea). I used my everyday Vietri Incanto china and Ricci Ascot flatware, my tall bubble water glasses, and embroidered white napkins with lucite napkin rings. Also pictured are my favorite zebra salt and pepper shakers by Waylande Gregory.

Shrimp Scampi over Zoodles – Serves 4

ingredients:

• 1 lb fresh small shrimp, peeled & deveined with the tails off (about two dozen)
• 4 zucchinis
• 2 lemons – juiced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter (optional)
• pinch of parsley and a lemon twist for garnish (to make a lemon twist… cut a thinly sliced piece of lemon, and use a knife to cut a slit from the center to the end, then twist!)

directions:

• trim the ends off of each zucchini and use your spiralizer to make noodles or ribbons of your choice – set aside in a bowl
• toss the fresh and cold shrimp in a medium sized bowl with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice
• in a large sauté pan over medium heat add the olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes for 1 minute stirring occasionally
• add the shrimp and cook 3 minutes or until pink
• remove the cooked shrimp with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate
• add the white wine, butter and lemon juice to the liquid in the sauté pan and stir until combined
• toss in the zucchini until covered with the liquid for 1 minute and increase the heat to medium high
• add the shrimp back in and toss for 1 more minute
• using tongs add a nice portion of the zoodle shrimp mixture to a shallow pasta bowl and top with salt, pepper, a few red pepper flakes, and fresh parsley with a lemon twist
• spoon juice from the pan on top
• pairs nicely with white wine and a simple salad