Garlic Lemon Butter (or Ghee) Scallops with Zoodles and Toasted Pine Nuts

I have been craving all things Italian lately. I think it's a subliminal message I'm getting from my new Spiralizer: NOODLE ALL THE THINGS!! I'm totally going with it, too. For the last 2 weeks I have not been able to stop thinking about lemon garlic butter. Fantasizing about it drizzled all over perfectly cooked pasta. Sometimes with chicken, sometimes shrimp. Paired with a side of buttery garlic bread...LAWD have mercy!

Like one of those cartoon characters who is running really fast and then stops himself with his heels and smoke billows up like burning rubber, my fantasies come to a screeching halt when I remember how horrible gluten and most grains make me feel. But it's all cool. I gots me a Spiralizer, so take that gluten sensitivity!! 

Oh, hey there butter.

I busted that bad boy out and made myself some garlic-y lemon-y butter-y deliciousness, and I'm sharing it with you today! If you don't have a Spiralizer, I will take a moment of silence now to mourn this sadness...

Ok, enough of that. Don't fear! This would be great over spaghetti squash as well, or you can always just cut up your zucchini & cook it that way. Spiralizing doesn't magically change the flavor. It's just super duper fun.

This definitely curbed my craving & left me super satisfied & feeling great in a way regular pasta never would. And as a bonus, it's quick, easy and everything except the pine nuts is cooked in one pan! Hooray for quick clean-up!!

Garlic Lemon Butter Scallops (for 2)

Ingredients:

8 Tbs grass fed butter or ghee

Zest of 1 lemon

Juice of 1 lemon

4 cloves garlic crushed

2 Tbs fresh thyme

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp ground pepper

12 oz bag wild sea scallops (20 smaller scallops, or 10 large)

2 average sized zucchinis spiralized or cut into desired size & shape

2 cups fresh spinach

4 Tbs pine nuts

Cook away my pretties! Mwahahaha *she laughs sinisterly*

Directions:

Place pine nuts in a small pan over low heat to toast. It will be tempting to turn up the heat to speed up the process, but don't! You will risk burning them. You will want to keep an eye on the pine nuts the whole time you are cooking the scallops and zoodles, stirring occasionally for even toasting. Remove from heat when they've reached a golden brown color. 

Meanwhile, in a large pan over medium heat melt butter with lemon zest, juice, garlic, thyme, salt & pepper. Allow butter to get hot, without burning. Add the sea scallops to the pan. Cook for approximately 2 minutes on each side, or until firm and opaque. Turn the heat down to medium-low. Remove scallops and set aside. To the sauce, add the zoodles and spinach. Cook until just warmed through and the spinach is just wilted. 

To Plate:

Place the zoodles and spinach on a plate. Top with 10 scallops and drizzle with more sauce. Top with some toasted pine nuts and ENJOY!