Right off the bat I bet my fellow diabetics are frowning at the dish's inclusion of pasta. The key here, friends, is moderation. Pasta in and of itself has a glycemic index of 45 - 55, depending what research you follow, placing it at the high end of the low glycemic index range. The key here is to watch your glycemic load when filling your pasta bowl. We all love pasta, so it's real easy to overload your bowl and send your GL soaring. Diabetics may want to opt for one of the many chick pea pastas by Banza for a much lower GI. There's a good balance in this dish even with the pasta, so moderation is not as hard as one might think. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
- 3/4 lb pasta of your choice
- 4 medium zucchini cut into bite size wedges
- 1 lb medium or large shrimp - Spot Prawns from Wild Alaskan Company are an even better choice here. :-)
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- ~1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- Handful fresh Italian parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes (This amount gives just a hint of heat)
Preparation:
Put on the water for pasta… with salt, of course. Your pasta
should be timed to be done when the rest of the cooking is completed for the
best textures and flavors.
I like to prepare this in a large Dutch oven because the
pasta can be added here for serving. Warm the olive oil and then add garlic,
zucchini, salt, oregano and red pepper flakes. Stir gently over medium heat until
zucchini are almost cooked through, about 10 minutes. Add shrimp and cook until
almost done, maybe another 5 minutes. Raise heat and add wine, lemon juice and
parsley. Once bubbling, lower heat and simmer for another 5 minutes to blend
flavors.
Add drained pasta, toss gently and serve. A light, grated
parmesan adds a wonderful touch to the finished dish, which should be done in
each individual’s bowl.
Blessed be... and happy cooking!