A Rich Pasta Dish Without the Guilt? Believe It.

If you’re trying to adopt a healthy lifestyle, a rich pasta dish may be the last thing that comes to mind. Creamy sauces over sauteed shrimp and pasta almost always equal a dish with stratospheric levels of carbs, calories, and saturated fats.

Fortunately, by making smart substitutions, you can enjoy a rich, flavor-packed meal that’s loaded with whole grains, protein and “healthy” fats—and this cilantro lime shrimp and avocado pasta recipe ticks all of the boxes.

Watching your cholesterol intake, or have a shellfish allergy? You may want to avoid shrimp and other shellfish, which are known to have higher cholesterol content compared to fish and other lean proteins. Feel free to substitute a pound of sliced, grilled chicken breast for a delicious lower cholesterol alternative.

Cilantro Lime Shrimp and Avocado Pasta

Source: http://www.thewholesomedish.com/cilantro-lime-shrimp-and-avocado-pasta/

Prep Time: 35 minutes

Servings: 4

Calories Per Serving: 462

Ingredients

2 ripe avocados, peeled and seeded
3/4 cup fresh baby spinach
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove fresh garlic, diced
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 box of whole wheat linguini pasta
1/2 cup reserved pasta cooking water
1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (41/50 count)

Instructions

In a food processor, mix the avocado, spinach, cilantro, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, garlic, salt, cumin, and black pepper. Pulse until smooth. Keep the avocado sauce covered and set aside.
Cook the pasta to your desired level of doneness (i.e. “al dente”). Before draining the pasta, set aside a half cup of the cooking water and set aside.
While your pasta is boiling, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Once your pan and oil are hot, add the shrimp in an even layer and sprinkle with a dash of salt. Cook the shrimp for 3 minutes, stirring vigorously to ensure that they are cooked on both sides. Stir, trying to get most of the shrimp turned over as well as you can.
When the shrimp are opaque (nearly solid white), remove the skillet from the heat. Drain any liquid from the pan and add 2 tablespoons of lime juice and 2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro to the shrimp. Stir to combine.
Add cooked and drained pasta to a large bowl. Then, pour over the avocado sauce and stir. If the sauce is too thick, add the reserved cooking water a little at a time until you reach your desired thickness.
Finally, top the pasta with the cooked cilantro lime shrimp and plate.
Serve immediately, and enjoy!

PRO-TIP: Picking the perfect avocado shouldn’t be intimidating. Look for avacados dark in color that give way to gentle pressure when gripped in your hand. Try to consume your avocados within 2 days. You can also store ripe avacados in the refridgerator to help prevent them from overripening before you’re ready to eat them.