For me, the most difficult thing about the Whole30 was giving up pasta. Years ago, my volleyball team took a trip to Italy where we are some of the best pasta in the world in excess. Most of my teammates left the country happy not to see another bowl of noodles for months. I, however was happy to hit up my favorite local shop for another fix days after returning to the states. I. Love. Pasta. Thankfully, there are reasonable substitutes for pasta lovers like me who are going without: veggie noodles!

This does typically require a special appliance, which is a bit annoying. But! You can get a low end one for a pretty decent price on Amazon. Alternatively, you could use a vegetable peeler if you have the patience for it (spoiler alert: I don’t). This dish is easy to put together and leaves you satisfied without feeling heavy. Plus, the tomato and basil just taste like summer. I hope you’ll enjoy it!

Active Time: 10 minutes |Cook Time: 15 minutes

Difficulty Level: Intermediate

Ingredients

• 3 large summer squash, cut into noodles
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 2 tbsp avocado oil
• 1 lb raw shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed
• 15 oz can of petite diced tomatoes
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 sprigs fresh basil, chopped
• 1 sprig fresh Italian parsley, chopped
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Directions

Heat 2 tbsp of the ghee and 2 tbsp of avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the ghee melts, add the squash noodles and half of the garlic to the pan and sauté until the noodles begin to soften but are still al dente, about 5 minutes. Once the squash is fully cooked, turn off the heat and remove the pan from the burner.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining ghee and avocado oil in another large pan over medium heat. Once the ghee has melted, add the shrimp and remaining garlic. Sauté for 3-5 minutes, until the shrimp are opaque and slightly pink. Remove the shrimp from the skillet and set aside.

In the same skillet used to cook the shrimp, add the can of tomatoes to the pan, keeping the pan at medium heat. Season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Bring the sauce to a simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

Add the noodles to the sauce and toss slightly to coat. Next add the shrimp, basil and parsley, and season again with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer 1-2 minutes or until the shrimp is warmed through again and serve immediately.