Zoodles with Sardines, Tomatoes & Capers – Low Carb

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Welcome to the 2nd post in my week of low carb zucchini recipes!  If you’re just catching up, yesterday I posted my new favorite low carb breakfast recipe – Bacon and Zucchini Eggs in a Nest!

I will continue to post delicious zucchini-themed low carb recipes for the rest of the week so stay tuned for more!

Today, before I get to the actual recipe, I want to talk about spiralizers!  Those are the genius gadgets that turn your veggies into noodles for all sorts of delicious applications!  This is the one I have and I can’t say enough about how great it is!  It will turn not only zucchini, but even firmer veggies like Daikon radish or sweet potatoes into noodles with almost zero effort.

To me that’s what makes it worth the $30 bucks as opposed to a cheaper handheld one that you will have to wrestle with and ultimately get so frustrated by that you will rarely use.  Thus depriving you of a healthy and delicious low carb pasta alternative – so sad!

So if you don’t have a decent spiralizer yet, it’s time to bite the bullet and invest in one ASAP!  You can use it year round and you won’t regret it!!!

Assuming you’ve already got some kind of spiralizer ready to go, then this will be one of the quickest and easiest meals you’ve made in a long time!   You’re looking at a grand total of about 5 minutes of cooking time – meaning less than 10 minutes from start to finish, including prep!

So little effort for such a delicious and super healthy low carb meal!

Let’s chat about sardines for a minute.  People love them or hate them, and I get that.  If you’re not a fan, here’s why you should reconsider and at least give them another try!

Sardines are one of the leading sources of Omega 3’s, which is not only incredibly heart healthy, it also helps with glucose and insulin metabolism among other things.  It’s also a valuable source of B vitamins, most importantly B12 – not to mention calcium, selenium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and copper just to name a few!

Because they are so small, they also avoid the mercury buildup that you can potentially find in larger fish, so you’re getting all those health boosting benefits without the drawbacks of say Salmon or Tuna.

Finally, sardines are relatively inexpensive and because they don’t require refrigeration they are so easy to keep around to use anytime!  You can even find them packed in hot sauce, tomatoes, mustard, or other delicious condiments so all you need is a fork and you’ve got lunch ready to go whenever you need it!

For this recipe I used a high quality brisling sardine, which are small and perfect for this recipe – the brand I used cost about $3.50.  Make sure you get them packed in olive oil for this recipe as we’ll use that oil to saute the garlic and tomatoes with.

Speaking of the recipe, it’s delicious!  Lot’s of garlic, a subtle sweetness from the zucchini and tomatoes, and the briny capers to cut through the fattiness of the sardines.  It’s refreshing and hearty all at the same time!

If you just can’t stand the idea of the sardines, you can easily substitute chicken in this dish with excellent results.  Just be sure to adjust the cooking time so that your chicken cooks all the way through!

As written, this low carb zucchini recipe is not only gluten free, but also dairy free, egg free, nut free, grain free, Paleo, and even Whole 30 approved!

Seriously – it doesn’t get a lot easier or healthier than this recipe!  I also happen to think that it’s incredibly delicious and I hope you’ll agree!

Now if you don’t have a problem with dairy and aren’t on a Whole 30, then you may want to adorn your zoodles with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese which totally takes it to the next level.

Delicious without cheese, it’s mind-blowing with it.  So if you’ve got Parmesan or Pecorino around and have no reason not to partake – DO. IT.

Next up this week is a fantastic savory zucchini bread that I just made this afternoon.  It’s amazing.  That is all.

Be sure to check back so you don’t miss it – or if you aren’t already subscribed to IBIH emails, now is the perfect time to sign up and I’ll be showing up in your in box to let you know when it gets posted!

OH HAI.  *waves enthusiastically*  It’s me!!!!

Stalker level = EXPERT.

Zoodles with Sardines, Tomatoes & Capers – Low Carb

★★★★★ 4.6 from 5 reviews

• Author: Mellissa Sevigny
• Yield: 2 servings 1x
• Category: Low Carb Dinner Recipe
• Cuisine: Italian

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Description

This low carb zucchini recipe contains super healthy sardines, garlic, tomatoes, capers and fresh herbs. Easy and delicious, it’s also Paleo and Whole 30 approved!!

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 4 oz can of brisling sardines packed in olive oil
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp garlic, chopped
• 1/2 cup ripe tomatoes, chopped
• 1 Tbsp capers, drained
• 4 cups zucchini noodles
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

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Instructions

1. Open the sardines and gently pour the oil into a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add the 1 Tbsp olive oil to the sardine oil.
2. Add the garlic to the oil and cook for one minute or until fragrant and sizzling.
3. Add the capers and tomatoes and cook for another minute.
4. Add the sardines and cook for another minute.
5. Add the zucchini noodles and stir gently so you don’t break up the sardines too much. Cook for 2 minutes – or longer if you like them really soft.
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Garnish with parsley and serve hot.
8. Parmesan cheese on top is optional.

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Notes

Approx nutrition info per serving: 230 calories, 19g fat, 6g net carbs, 10g protein

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