Paleo Seafood Alfredo
I am not a huge fan of cooking to be honest. (gasp) My husband fears for my life when I am wielding a knife in the kitchen. I have zero finesse when cutting vegetables and measuring ingredients. I drop things, I spill, I get burnt. There is often a lot of swearing involved. In fact, I decide what meals I will make again based on how high on the swear-o-meter it rates. To be completely honest with you, this meal rates moderately high on the swear-o-meter. Don’t let that scare you though. My swear-o-meter is more sensitive than most. But just because I am not a graceful cook, doesn’t mean I haven’t prepared some pretty delicious homemade recipes.
When I make a recipe that is a little more time consuming or labor intensive, I double it. I love having leftovers, even after feeding our family of 5. It spares me from cooking at least one other meal. And eating Paleo is all about cooking. With that said, if you are not a big fan of leftovers, or are cooking for a smaller family, then cut this recipe in half.
When I started eating Paleo nearly 3 years ago, I was really upset about the fact that I would have to give up one of my favorite things, pasta. I loved pasta. But, as time has evolved, I have learned new ways to quench those pasta cravings without those doughy noodles. Most recipes I make for pasta, I use either spaghetti squash or spiralized vegetables like sweet potato, zucchini or carrots. For this recipe I use spaghetti squash, but think zucchini noodles would also work well. You could substitute the shrimp and scallops for chicken if you are not a seafood fan.
I always use full fat coconut milk for white sauces. If you are strict Paleo, it is important to read labels to be sure that your coconut milk is only coconut milk and water. I buy mine in bulk from Amazon here.
If you are unsure how to cook spaghetti squash, I will give you a brief description on how I prepare it.
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Half the squash and remove the seeds. Coat with a light layer of olive oil, then salt and pepper. Cook for 45 minutes-1 hour. There is a wide range of variables when cooking spaghetti squash, (size, thickness, etc) and it can take longer or shorter than the listed times. I find that when the squash has browned and easy to pull away from the skin with a fork it is ready.
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Cook Time | 1 hour |
| Servings |
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- 2 medium spaghetti squash
- 1 pound shrimp
- 1 pound bay scallops
- 1 12 oz package uncured bacon
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 3 cups spinach
- 2 cans coconut milk full fat
- 3/4 cup coconut flour
- 2 tbsp olive oil extra-virgin
- 1-2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder (optional)
Ingredients
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- Cook the spaghetti squash while preparing the sauce. (directions above) When cooked, use fork to separate.
- In a skillet, add olive oil and heat to medium. Add in the shrimp, scallops, onions and garlic. Cook until shrimp and scallops are cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. Add the spinach and let it wilt. Drain off any liquid.
- While preparing the seafood mixture, in a large skillet, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove from grease and set aside.
- Keep your range at low heat. Add the coconut milk to the grease that remains from the bacon. Slowly stir in the coconut flour until the mixture starts to thicken. The sauces thickens over time so add slowly.
- Slowly sprinkle in sea salt, pepper and garlic powder (optional). Stir well. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the seafood mixture to the sauce and stir.
- Top the spaghetti squash with alfredo mixture. Garnish with crumbled bacon.
Cut this recipe in half if you are not cooking for many or do not wish to have leftovers.
