One of the funny things about Lent in our house is that during these 6 weeks in the church year, our family actually eats really well. Lent is all about preparation for what we believe Easter is all about. Usually it involves fasting as a way of opening up more space for God.

And yes, we’re fasting from eating out. We’re also fasting from eating meat on Fridays. But shoot, it’s actually been pretty nice to eat home-cooked meals for every meal and to explore the world of seafood at the end of a busy work week. Are we doing this whole Lent thing wrong?!

I don’t have an answer for that. But what I do know is that I’ve learned that we don’t need to go out to a fancy restaurant to enjoy quality food and quality time as a family. And it’s also pretty cool to give the money we would have spent to people who don’t nearly have enough. Eating out really adds up.

These last few weeks for me have also been pretty crazy with life and work. The meals I’m needing to create can’t take a lot of time or brain power. This linguine is absolutely perfect for a meatless, Friday meal. I think I might have fallen in love with this recipe! It’s incredibly simple (seriously, not even joking), utilizes the abundance of citrus in this time of year, and it also just feels fancy.

I made it two weeks in a row, first for our little family and then quadrupled to feed my cousins, uncle, and friends on our trip to Los Angeles. I think it will be making even more appearances in the years to come. Give it a try! And don’t feel bad if you don’t use whole wheat linguine. I do think that the regular linguine is tastier. 🙂

Linguine with Shrimp Scampi, adapted from Ina Garten

3/4 pound whole wheat linguine
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 lemon, zested
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
1/4 lemon, thinly sliced in whole or half rounds
Parmesan cheese, grated

Cook the linguine in boiling water, seasoned with salt and olive oil, according to instructions.

While the linguine cooks, heat a 12-inch pan over medium-low heat and melt the butter and olive oil. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Then add the shrimp, salt, and pepper and cook for about 5 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and cooked through. Stir and flip often. When done, remove the pan from heat and add the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, and lemon slices. Toss well.

When the linguine is finished, drain and put back in the pot. Add the shrimp and toss together. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.