Iron Rations: Healthy Pasta with Tomatoes and Zucchini

In today’s installment of Iron Rations we are going to look at a surprisingly easy, yet tasty, recipe that can will satisfy your carb cravings while still being good for you. Score!

As I have said repeatedly in the past, eating clean and healthy is the most important aspect of any fitness regimen. No matter how hard you are working out, if you are fueling yourself with tons of sugar and processed foods you are not going to see the progress you want! So when you get that craving for carbs, instead of going to the Olive Garden and feeling lethargic and (hopefully) guilty after shoveling a giant plate of cheese covered death chicken carbonara into your maw, try this fresh and healthy pasta dish instead.

Pasta w/ Tomatoes, Zucchini and Shrimp

This great dinner tastes great, takes minimal ingredients and reheats easily! It clocks in at about 485 calories, provides approx 19 grams of protein/10 grams of fiber/60 grams of carbs and only takes a half an hour to whip up. What more can you ask for? (And don’t say “For you to come make it for me…” because it’s not going to happen slapnuts!)

Prep Time = 20 Mins Cook Time = 10 Mins Total Time = 30 Mins

Ingredients (Serves 4):

• .5 Lb Cooked Shrimp
• 1 box Quinoa Pasta
• 2 ginormous Zucchini (use more if your grocer only stocks wimpy zucchini)
• 1 Lb Roma Tomatoes
• 2 tsp Sea Salt
• 2 tsp Minced Garlic
• 1/3 cup Olive Oil
• 1.5 tbsp Basil Paste
• 1 tbsp Red Chili Paste
• Pinch of grated Parmesan Cheese

Step 1:

Pull the tails off the shrimp (if shrimp isn’t your thing, some diced and sautéed chicken or turkey would taste great as well!) and set the aside so they warm to room temperature. Then dice the tomatoes and mix together in a giant mixing bowl with the oil, salt, and basil and chili paste.

Now, I personally use mushroom infused olive oil because I feel it gives a bit of an earthy flavor that balances out the sweetness of the basil but feel free to experiment as you see fit! I also cheat a little and don’t chop fresh basil or chili peppers to cut down on the prep time a little, but fresh is always a tastier option if you want to spend the time.

Step 2:

Bring four quarts of water to a boil and pour in your box of Quinoa pasta. If you’ve never had Quinoa before I have to ask, “What is wrong with you?!?” Quinoa is heads and shoulder above almost all other grains in terms of nutritional value. Not only does it pack a serious dose of minerals it also provides valuable amounts of heart-healthy fats (in the form of oleic acid), small amounts of the omega-3 fatty acids and acts as a natural anti-inflammatory. It is also almost indistinguishable from most wheat based pastas; so there is zero reason for you to be eating the inferior stuff!

Cook for approximately 9 minutes.

Step 3:

Slice the zucchini and then saute in a frying pan along with the garlic and a dash of water while the Quinoa is cooking. Stir frequently to keep from sticking and so the garlic mixes nicely with the slices of zucchini. Cook to your preferred softness… I prefer them just a touch past the point of being crunchy (right before the flesh starts to develop that translucent quality). Once cooked to taste, add to the tomato and basil mixture and stir thoroughly.

Step 4:

Once the quinoa is done, drain it and rinse it for a second with cold water in a colander to prevent it from sticking together. Dish it out and cover with a couple large scoops of the tomato/zucchini mixture. Sprinkle the top with a pinch of grated Parmesan cheese and you are all set!

Dig in and OmNomNomNom!

The good thing about meals like these are how easy it is to adjust the serving sizes as needed. Feeding a big family? Just scale the ingredients accordingly. Working on portion control? Great! Reduce how much pasta you put in your bowl or how much shrimp you toss in the tomato and oil mixture. Since we are only cooking the zucchini, and it doesn’t cook down like a lot of veggies tend to, how much you see as you chop things up and add them to the mixing bowl is how much will be in your bowl when you serve it. Also remember, if you are fueling an athletic lifestyle then feel free to eat more of this healthy pasta (and remember, a meal filled with complex carbs and moderate amounts of protein are perfect for a post workout meal!)

Let me know what you think! Love it? hate it? Just let me know so I can help bring you more awesome recipes to help fuel your healthy lifestyle. So leave a comment, reach me on Facebook or Twitter and remember to Sign up for our free newsletter!