Despite the fact that Labor Day has officially come and gone… it’s still summer, people. In fact, it’s still summer until September 22nd! I don’t know about you, but, until then, I will remain outside near the pool with the BBQ on high.

For that very reason, I’ve crafted one of my easiest summer recipes to date: roasted shrimp skewers with pesto zoodles.

Zucchini noodles – or zoodles as they are more commonly known – have become haute, haute, haute as of late. Yet, I was a little late to the trend. Let me explain.

I don’t like excessive chopping. If available, I will always pay the extra dollar to purchase pre-chopped onions, carrots, celery, etc. I enjoy being in the kitchen, so why spoil it by doing a task I dislike? In the same vein, the thought of spiraling my own zucchini was a little over the top for me. That is until my friends over at Whole Foods started offering a variety of pre-spiraled zoodles.  Finally they were talking my language.

Pesto came into the scene because it’s another favorite of mine. I actually do enjoy making my own vegan version from scratch, but recently discovered more tasty news at Whole Foods: pre-made pesto from a brand called LeGrand. The best part? It’s actually good.

Now, for this recipe, all you have to do is combine three main ingredients and, PRESTO, PESTO you have dinner! Wow! You didn’t even have to break out that ten-dolla-piece-a-crap spiraler! No better words have ever been spoken.

Roasted Shrimp Skewers with Pesto Zoodles

What You’ll Need:

• Skewers (if wooden, make sure they’re pre-soaked)
• The most humane, environment-friendly shrimp you can find (which can be a tough-y these days); 20 is good for two people, 8-10 per-person depending on size
• Pre-made pesto like this one here
• Zoodles

What You’ll Do:

• Blanch the zoodles in a boiling pot of water following the instructions on the package; this will only take a few minutes
• Remove the zoodles and place in paper towel – work to squeeze out any excess water (this is KEY!!!) and set-aside to dry
• Place five shrimp on each skewer, set aside in Pyrex
• Top skewers with a splash of EVOO, salt, pepper and a dash of red pepper flakes
• Over medium-high, grill the shrimp skewers until pink and no longer translucent (about 3 minutes per side)
• While the shrimp is cooking, place the dried zoodles into a bowl and top with your desired amount of pesto; stir until completed coated
• Serve zoodles in large bowls or plates; top with shrimp skewers

I really enjoy tea. Coffee not so much. I can, however, handle an espresso BECAUSE it’s a shot. And an EXPRESS espresso is just as easy as hard to take as a tequila shooter, right? So, on those mornings when I’m desperate, I reach for that itty bitty bit of café to help me power through the day. My secret? I add a little somethin’ somethin’: coconut oil.

Before we get into the recipe, let me back-up a bit. My bf fiancé was really into the bulletproof coffee trend awhile back and tried to get me on board.

In case you’ve been living under a rock, bulletproof coffee became wildly popular after a dude named Dave Asprey stumbled upon a version of the recipe while hiking in Tibet. By mixing high-grade, high-quality coffee with grass-fed butter and MCT oil, he created a magical potion that revs up fat-loss and increases energy without the typical caffeine-crash. (To learn more about the science behind it, read from the bulletproof exec himself here.)

Sounds amazing, yes? YES! The issue was that a) I didn’t like coffee and b) I don’t like butter. Even the healthiest of healthiest. I don’t like the feeling of butter on my lips, the texture is freaky, and it just doesn’t sit well with my tummy. So how was he going to get me jazzed up about the drink? Well, he had a solution. Drink an espresso instead of a cup o’ joe and replace the butter with another great fat – insert: coconut oil.

SO after brewing his favorite beans and letting them steam in a super cute Le Creuset espresso cup (this piece of ceramic alone would turn anyone into a coffee-fan) he added a dollop of daisy of coconut oil. Let it melt. And instructed me to drink. It worked! The coconut took away some of the espresso’s bitterness while ALSO giving me the same mini-benefit that the butter offers for a bulletproof coffee drinker.

As health guru Paul Chek explains it, the fat (coconut oil or butter) helps turn the coffee’s amino acids into a more digestible food source while also acting as a sort-of “energy drip” that releases gradually throughout your morning.  So you stay energized looooooonger. (Got it? If not, just dedicate 20 minutes of your life watching Chek explain it.)

And that was that. I became and occasional coffee fan.

OKAY. Now that THAT explanation is over. I’m exhausted. And need another espresso.

Express Espresso with Coconut Oil

What You’ll Need:

• High-quality espresso beans (ground)
• A pretty-intense espresso machine (whoops – this post just got expensive); secret tip: you can also just make a normal cup of coffee
• Smallest bit of coconut oil

What You’ll Do:

• Ground the beans, process through machine to make espresso
• Add coconut oil, stir!