Garlic prawns with mixed zucchini and spaghetti

The combination of spiralised zucchini and spaghetti works really well here – giving the dish more body, while keeping the calories low.

Eating good ingredients – such as garlic prawns with mixed zucchini and spaghetti from his new book – is more effective than buying vitamins. Credit: The Fast 800

• serves

  2

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  35 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

This recipe is part of a meal plan for an 800-calorie day (see below) from The Fast 800 by Dr Michael Mosley (Simon & Schuster, $29.99). You can read our interview with Dr Mosley and view his other meal plans here.

• Baked salmon and eggs with chives, 300 cals
• Crunchy zucchini canapés 3 ways, 211 cals
• Garlic prawns with mixed zucchini and spaghetti, 290 cals

Ingredients

• 50 g wholewheat spaghetti
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small garlic clove, crushed
• 200 g large raw frozen prawns, defrosted
• 2 medium zucchini, spiralised or very finely sliced (about 300g)
• ½ small lemon generous handful of fresh parsley or coriander, chopped

NON-FAST DAY: double the portion and add a large handful of salad leaves with a dressing such as Minted Mustard and Lime Dressing.

Instructions

1. Cook the spaghetti according to the packet instructions, ensuring it remains al dente. Drain it, reserving the water.
2. Meanwhile, place the oil in a medium-sized frying pan over a medium heat. Sweat the garlic in it for 30 seconds, then stir in the prawns and cook them for about 3 minutes, before adding the spiralised zucchini (courgetti).
3. Keep stirring for 2–3 minutes, and once the courgetti start to soften, add the spaghetti to the pan with a generous squeeze of lemon juice and 1–2 tbsp of the reserved pasta water (or hot water) to loosen the mixture. Bring the pan to a gentle simmer, then immediately remove it from the heat.
4. Season it with some salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Stir in the chopped parsley and divide the mixture between 2 bowls.

Note

• For a lower-calorie version, skip the spaghetti and use larger zucchini (this reduces the calories by about 100 per person).

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

This recipe is part of a meal plan for an 800-calorie day (see below) from The Fast 800 by Dr Michael Mosley (Simon & Schuster, $29.99). You can read our interview with Dr Mosley and view his other meal plans here.

• Baked salmon and eggs with chives, 300 cals
• Crunchy zucchini canapés 3 ways, 211 cals
• Garlic prawns with mixed zucchini and spaghetti, 290 cals