Pasta with Tomato and Shrimp

Being Italian-American is at the essence of my being. I eat, live, breathe, sleep pasta, pizza, and all things carbs. Even in a caloric deficit, that has not and will not change!

There are days where a heaping bowl of pasta is what's needed to cure the soul. After a long day of work, school or even after hours of lounging around, we crave that hot delicious bowl of pasta. Or, at least I do. There has been an increased demonization of pasta and carbs in general by the fitness industry. "Influencers" telling people pasta makes you fat, to only eat protein pastas and impossible noodles with >10 net carbs, or to stop eating carbs all together. Well, I've tried that once and to say this was impossible is the understatement of the year. But, like everything else in life, moderation is key. Life is too short not to eat the pasta, and carbs give your body the necessary fuel to be productive in your workouts and everyday life.

I don't think this recipe needs further introduction. Pasta, tomato, shrimp: what's not to love? This is inspired by my wonderful mom, who is an amazing cook and taught me everything I need to know. One of our family's staple dishes is a spaghetti with shrimp and a creamy tomato sauce. Adapting this recipe slightly allows me to stay comfortably within my caloric needs while also enjoying the tastes of home. Without further ado, let's continue onto the recipe.

CALORIES AND MACROS:

CALORIES: 577 calories

CARBOHYDRATES: 92.5 grams

FAT: 10.4 grams

PROTEIN: 31 grams

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 teaspoon olive oil

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 roma tomato, roughly chopped

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• 1 tablespoon half and half

• salt, pepper, parsley to taste

• 4 ounces, dry, pasta of choice

• 4 ounces colossal raw shrimp, diced

• OPTIONAL: instead of using a whole tomato and tomato paste, substitute for 1/4 cup crushed tomatoes.

RECIPE:

1. On medium low heat, start by cooking minced garlic in a teaspoon of olive oil. Let cook for about a minute before adding your chopped roma tomato.

2. Let the tomato soften and season to taste with salt, pepper, and parsley flakes. Reduce the sauce to a low, simmer setting and allow the sauce to form and thicken while you begin boiling water for your pasta.

3. When the water is boiled, add a generous amount of salt to the water and immediately add your pasta of choice. Adding salt when it's boiled is pertinent: it seasons the pasta directly and adding salt before boiled raises boiling point and slows the boiling process. Stir throughout cook time to ensure pasta doesn't stick.

4. Reserve a small mug of salted pasta water before straining.

5. Turn the tomato sauce back to a medium low setting, and add your diced shrimp. Shrimp cook fast, so be sure to be vigilant during this part. Season again if you feel necessary. Cover the pot and allow the shrimp to cook for about a minute or two.

6. After about two minutes, add about a tablespoon of half and half and a similar amount of pasta water to create a thicker sauce. Your sauce is done.

7. Combine half of shrimp sauce mixture with cooked pasta, saving the other half of the sauce to top off the dish when served.

CLOSING

Safe to say, this pasta dish will be the perfect meal when you're craving something hot and comforting, while wanting to keep your calories and macronutrients at a sufficient level. This dish is high in carbs, but can always be substituted with alternative pasta options based on your preferences. I prefer regular pasta, so I ensure that this is my carb-heavy meal of the day. Either way, I have no doubt that you all will enjoy this pasta.

I want to thank everyone who is reading this, and even more if you are testing it in your own kitchen. Please feel free to share with me if you recreate any of these dishes, I would love to see your take on it. This is my first blog post on this page, and while I am still learning, I am only just getting started. See you all next time!