Eat up, Drink up!

Last night I was craving a healthy, yet hearty meal.  As I was walking through Whole Foods, the shrimp was calling to me, so I decided to make lemon-garlic shrimp with whole wheat pasta. BOY was it good. Sometimes I have no idea how I can make something that is incredibly simple taste so good, but then I realize that it all comes down to choosing the right ingredients and understanding how flavors pair together. All this recipe requires is raw shrimp, a whole lemon, lemon zest, 2 cloves of garlic and extra virgin olive oil.  Here's a picture of the lemon-garlic shrimp:

 Toss the shrimp into some fiber-rich whole wheat pasta, and you have an quick, easy, and delicious meal!

To go along with the shrimp, I picked up a bottle of my favorite wine - Brandcott Estate's Sauvignon Blanc, which is from the Malborough region in New Zealand. It is ridiculously good- light, crisp, with hints of grapefruit, and an acidity that works really well with the shrimp. Basically every Sauvignon Blanc from this region is amazing. Please try it- you will thank me :)


Here's some fun nutrition facts:


Shrimp:

• VERY low in calories and fat (a 4oz serving has less than 1g fat and 112 calories)
• Very high in protein (same 4oz serving has 27 grams protein)
• High in B12, Vitamin D, and iron- all of which are extremely important micronutrients
• Omega 3's, which are good for heart health and inflammation
• *While very low in fat, shrimp is high in cholesterol. HOWEVER, it actually helps to raise your good cholesterol, which is especially important for women.

Wine:

• Believe it or not, alcohol is perfectly healthy to consume in moderation and can have a wide variety of health benefits! 
• Studies show drinking in moderation can lower risk of cardiovascular disease (any alcohol can do this, not just wine!)
• Red wine is special because it has the polyphenol reseveratrol, which is an antioxidant which may be protective against heart disease.
• Studies have shown moderate drinkers have lower risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes
• Lower risk of stroke, colon cancer, and alcohol can actually help with brain function!

Now that you've seen the evidence, you can safely eat your shrimp and drink your wine without any doubt that they're healthy!  Hope you enjoy :)