Date Night Dinner: Seared Shrimp with Soba Noodles

I love pasta just as much as the next person, but I’m just not one of those people blessed with a naturally fast metabolism…meaning pasta night has to be a tad more carefully constructed if I’m not going to slide off the balanced-eating wagon!

I have a few tricks I use when I make pasta dishes, that help to maintain the enjoyment while significantly cutting the calories and carbs. This recipe is one of my favorite pasta recipes and it’s insanely easy to make. The trick is to bulk up the meal with veggies and lean protein so you don’t need as much pasta. It’s simple, I know, but it works. If you add the veggies and protein to the pasta before serving, you can toss everything together so it looks, tastes, and feels just as satisfying as a traditional pasta dish. This recipe serves two so it makes a great date night favorite!

Seared Shrimp Soba Stir-Fry

Ingredients

1/3 package 100% buckwheat soba noodles

1 tablespoon olive oil or ghee

1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger

1 clove garlic, chopped

2 heads bok choy

2 cups fresh baby spinach

3/4 lb wild shrimp, peeled and de-veined (can sub extra firm tofu for vegan option)

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1/8 teaspoon turmeric

sea salt

1 teaspoon olive oil

juice of 1 lime

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 spring onion, diced

Instructions

1. To start, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add buckwheat pasta and cook according to package instructions. Drain, rinse with cold water and set aside in a large bowl.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil, ginger and garlic. Add bok choy in batches to the skillet and saute until tender (about 3-4 minutes). Add cooked veggies to the pasta. Once you have sautéed all of the bok choy and spinach, start prepping the shrimp.
3. Mix together ginger, chili, turmeric and sea salt and sprinkle over raw shrimp, toss with olive oil and sear in a hot skillet for about 1 - 1 1/2 minutes per side. When placing shrimp in the skillet, make sure you do not crowd the pan (this allows the shrimp to sear instead of steam). Once the shrimp is done, add all of the pasta and veggies back to the pan and toss together. Turn off the heat and add lime juice, sesame oil, cilantro and spring onion.
4. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

~Kristin O’Connor

Kristin is a published author and private chef focused on encouraging optimal wellness. The Kristin O’Connor brand of gluten-free, eco-friendly products is a true culmination of her passion for health and devotion to philanthropy, bearing a mantra as wholesome and pleasing as her food! For more inspiration, check out her website and Instagram.