Spaghetti Squash Shrimp Scampi

      Traditional scampi in the United States is full of butter, carbohydrates and is low in fiber and nutrients. Although delicious this recipe is definitely in need of a healthy twist! Creating a healthy yet delicious scampi was definitely a challenge as my husband is a pasta lover. Even getting him to try whole wheat pasta was difficult. As you know I am always up for a challenge in the kitchen and I think the final product was a winner.
        Instead of using butter I used olive oil and chicken broth as the base of the sauce. To bring in more nutrients I added broccoli for fiber and Vitamin K; sun-dried tomatoes for Vitamin A; and lemons for Vitamin C. Instead of pasta I chose to serve the scampi over roasted spaghetti squash, cutting down the calories and carbohydrates and bumping up the nutrients!

I love this dish not only was it easy to make but is packed full of flavor and nutrients. My husband loved it, and didn't miss the pasta after all! 

Spaghetti Squash Shrimp Scampi
Servings: 2

Ingredients

• 1 medium spaghetti squash
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups broccoli
• 1/2 pound of raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon of lemon zest
• 1/4 cup chicken broth, low sodium
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 Tablespoons parsley, finely chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Cut spaghetti squash in half, length-wise. Remove seeds and place in baking dish flesh side up and drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 35-45 minutes, until squash is tender and easy to shred.
3. While squash is baking, add water to a large saucepan, warming on medium high heat. Once boiling add in broccoli and cook for 2-3 minutes. Then remove and cover with aluminum foil.
4. In a medium saute pan over medium heat saute garlic in olive oil for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Add in shrimp and cook until pink. Remove cooked shrimp from pan and cover with aluminum foil.
5. For the sauce add chicken broth, lemon juice and zest to the saucepan. Once boiling decrease the heat and stir in cheese. Once dissolved and sauce creamy add in sun-dried tomatoes.  Cook for another 5 minutes. Then add in parsley.
6. When spaghetti squash is done, remove from oven and shred with a fork. Add squash to sauce to allow it to soak up the juice. Then add in cooked shrimp and broccoli. Cook for 2 minutes until warm. Do not overcook or broccoli will start to brown. Serve topped with parsley and Parmesan cheese.