Shrimp Zucchini Noodle Carbonara

Courtesy of Plated Perfection

I'm a few days behind posting this, but better late than never (as you've definitely heard me say before)! Mondays we really make an effort to start the week off right and cook a healthy meal for dinner. I've been wanting to try zucchini noodle carbonara for quite some time, but was worried it wouldn't be as filling without the pasta and no other protein besides the pancetta or prosciutto (or bacon). Then, a light bulb went off...I can add shrimp! That's not a ground breaking idea by any means, but I was happy with that decision and decided to whip this up. It was a nice option for when you want to go the lighter route (no butter or cream was used - sadly, I know). My only complaint about this go around was that it didn't make as many noodles as I would've liked, but it was enough for the two of us for dinner. Just increase the number of zucchinis you're going to spiral if serving more than 2 people! Enjoy!

Ingredients:
4 medium-large zucchini, spiralized into noodles
1/3 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined (this was about 7 shrimp for me)
~1/2 cup diced prosciutto (I used the pre-packaged kind, but you can substitute this with diced pancetta or bacon); gauge how much you want to use based on your preferences
1/2 cup frozen peas
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced (if you're using a large shallot, just use half)
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
~ tb salt, plus a dash for the shrimp
dash of pepper. to taste, plus a dash for the shrimp
~3 tb olive oil, separated (1 tb for shrimp, 2 tb for carbonara)
parsley, for garnish (optional)

Directions:
It's important to get as much of the water out of the zucchini as possible. Once the noodles have been spiralized, place them on a layer of paper towels on a baking sheet. Sprinkle the noodles with salt, place another layer of paper towels on them, and press down to get some of the moisture out. Let them lay for about 10 minutes. Rinse the noodles under cold water in a colander to remove the salt. Lay back on a new layer of paper towels in a baking sheet and let dry for a few minutes.

In the meantime, heat a skillet over medium-high heat and 1 tb olive oil. Sprinkle your shrimp with salt and pepper on both sides and cook for approximately 2-3 minutes per side, until pink. Be careful not to overcook them and dry them out. Turn off the heat and set aside. In another skillet or saute pan, heat 2 tb olive oil over medium heat. Cook the shallots for approximately 2 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in the peas for approximately 2 minutes. Add the zucchini noodles and stir everything together for another couple of minutes. Turn off the heat. To make the sauce, combine the eggs, parmesan cheese, and a dash of pepper. Add this to the zucchini noodle mixture and evenly coat the noodles. Add in the shrimp and toss to coat them evenly as well. Serve immediately. Top with an additional dash of parmesan cheese if desired, and fresh parsley.