Shrimp Primavera with Spaghetti Squash

Shrimp Primavera is a classic springtime recipe that's almost painfully quick and easy to prepare, and it's colorful and delicious, too. I used spaghetti squash instead of spaghetti, because as we talked about here, I'm hacking my health by focusing on eating 20-30 different fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, grains, and legumes every week. Given that 50% of dopamine and 80% of serotonin are made in the gut, I want to do everything I can to support my gut health!

If you prefer to use pasta, cook 12 ounces of dry spaghetti according to the manufacturer's directions, drain, and keep warm. Use it in lieu of spaghetti squash at the end of the recipe.

Ingredients:

1 medium spaghetti squash (about 4 pounds)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic (or 2 garlic cloves, minced)

1 (12-ounce) jar roasted red bell pepper, coarsely chopped

1 pound asparagus, trimmed and sliced on an angle into 1” sections

1 zucchini, sliced into quarters

1 yellow squash, sliced into quarters

1 tablespoon Worchestershire sauce

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 pound frozen shrimp, tail off, thawed, rinsed and well-drained

To prepare the spaghetti squash:

Wash the spaghetti squash well. Using a sturdy fork, poke about a dozen holes in the shell. (Do not omit this step, or you risk your squash exploding in the microwave.) Place in a microwave-safe dish, then cook for 5 minutes at a time, turning the squash over so it cooks evenly, until shell is just soft to the touch. Allow to cool.

When cool to the touch, carefully cut it in half lengthwise, then remove the stringy insides attached to the seeds. (You can make it easier to cut by cutting off the ends first.) If necessary, return the squash to the microwave, again for 5 minutes at a time, until squash is just soft enough to remove from the shell. (If you prefer it softer, you can cook it a bit longer.) Set aside.

Directions:

Heat olive oil, garlic, red bell pepper, and asparagus in large saute pan over medium-high heat until garlic is fragrant, about 3 minutes, stirring often. Add zucchini and yellow squash, and cook until just tender. Add Worcestershire sauce, red pepper flakes and shrimp, and cook until shrimp is pink all the way through. Serve shrimp mixture on top of spaghetti squash.